Overlord
by DownSmashJon
Summary: Being reborn in the world of RWBY means that the Grimm are your natural enemies. My case is the complete opposite. I'm not really sure who I pissed off in my previous life but being reborn as a Beowolf was definitely not something I expected. (SI)
1. Meet D, your Shut-In Reaper

" **Every beginning has an end, and every end has a series of complaints about why the ending sucked."**

I'm just going to start right off the bat and say that I'm not afraid of dying.

Now before you start labelling me as insane, hear me out. Why be afraid of something that's part of life? Would you scream out of fear if you saw a glass of water? Would you pass out if you saw a bird fly?

No, that would be silly. Death is what motivates us to do exciting things with our lives. If humans were immortal, why should we bother with doing anything then; what would be the point in existing?

But I guess if it came down to it – it's not the concept of death that humans are afraid of, it's the event itself.

Death is an unpredictable force. One day you'll wake up, brush your teeth, enjoy some breakfast and head out to start the rest of the day and you would have no idea that the grim reaper was following you the moment your eyes fluttered open from sleep. Then all of a sudden you find yourself being hit by a speeding car. Your life flashes before your eyes ~ _blah blah blah all that emotional I don't want to die crap ~_ and that would be it. You died, the end.

Well, my case is slightly different. Replace the car with a helicopter and the word "speeding" with "fell out of the sky."

Technology these days am I right?

I think something was off when I noticed that there was a large shadow over me. In hindsight, it would have been a good time to run away as far as possible instead of looking up and have your mind slowly process that a vehicle was coming down on top of you before it was too late.

The situation was so ridiculous that my thoughts before my impending death were, _'Did I forget to lock the door?'_

Dying by a falling helicopter was definitely something I didn't expect at all. The strange part was that I didn't actually _feel_ my body being crushed. I sort of just blacked out.

* * *

My vision is filled with a brief darkness before my eyes open again. It takes me a good minute to realise that I'm no longer on my university campus anymore. Hey, I'm not complaining; rather _here_ than six feet under.

Wait a second… _six feet…_ _ **under**_?

" _Denial"_ A metallic echo plays in the background.

. . . Holy shit there was a helicopter that was about to crush me! D-Did I die? But that can't be, r-right? I can still hear my breathing, I can feel my chest expanding and compressing with each gulp of air. The motions of my chest are increasing now. My breaths are shortening and becoming rampant all of a sudden. Shit. Shit. Calm down. Calm down!

This – This is a dream, right? A bad dream? A nightmare nothing more right? I didn't really die. This place…it can't be the afterlife!

" _Don't deny what you have seen. Rejection is useless once the conclusion has been reached."_

My heart is racing, it's as if someone is reaching into my chest and started playing with my organ like some kind of pump. It's suddenly cold now; goose bumps are forming. I'm shaking – no my entire body is shivering – my fingers are vibrating like crazy a-and my legs, my legs are weakening. It wasn't even a few seconds before I found myself meeting the white floor.

W-Wait white floor?

" _Madness"_

My widened eyes are darting in every single direction now. Where am I? Where am I? Where am I? wherewherewherewherewherehwherehwherehwhere?!

I'm lying on a spotless white surface – it's so clear it's as if I was on top of water. White walls no matter where my eyes went. White ceiling as well? I'm- I'm in a hallway. An empty hallway. An endless empty hallway?!

Where the hell am I?!

" _Everywhere and nowhere – you are at the final destination – a destination that does not exist but chooses to do so. Such is the finale of death."_

No, no, no, no, no. Shut up, shut up, shut up! I'm not dead!

" _Bargaining"_

That voice again. Shut up!

Damn it! The temperature is decreasing now. It's colder – freezing now. I'm freezing!

I'm sweating now. My face is covered in sweat. Why am I sweating? I shouldn't be sweating!

Help me.

I want to scream for help, to yell, to make any sound but the only thing escaping from my mouth is my excessive gasping.

Make it stop, please. No more. What do you want from me? Money? I can give all of it away if you just make it stop! I'll give you my Pokémon games. Hell, I'll even update my gamer fic too! S-so please – "m-m-make it ssss-st-o-

"… _One can not trade away something they no longer possess."_

A door unexpectedly appears before the wall in front of my mess of a body. It's an apartment door. It's plain brown with a gold plating on the centre: ' _Room 1337'_

Even in my current state I can't help but slightly chuckle at the sight. "T-This is some kind o-of joke right? Elite… r-really?" Though it probably wasn't the best idea trying to talk right now. My body feels as if that same asshole playing with my heart decided to light a fire over my lungs.

" **P-Pay no a-attention to the door!** _ **"**_ The voice spoke again, but instead of harsh steel, it sounded different. High pitched and more feminine. The voice corrected itself, " _The d-door is but of a metaphor to the p-passing of your life…because you died…and stuff."_

"S-So shouldn't I-I go through the door then?!" I mumbled through chattering teeth. At this point, I don't care anymore. I don't care anymore! I just want this feeling to stop!

" **Ah fuck it.** "

And then, it stopped.

My breathing became normal. My heart rate restored itself. I felt a blissful wave of warmth rush through my body as the shivering stopped. I had control over my body again.

" **I already messed up by hitting the wrong button. Just get your ass in my office already** " the feminine voice stated in a defeated tone.

This wasn't what I expected my afterlife to be.

* * *

I had opened the door fully prepared to witness a modern-day business-like office with some old secretary typing away on a computer behind some fancy desk. Perhaps it would be mahogany wood?

The door, however, didn't open fully. I instantly noticed the cause: a pillar of garbage bags stuffed against it. Carefully twisting my (deceased) body through the entrance I witnessed the absolute horror of the voice's room. An unmade bed in the corner to my left with a pile of female laundry just sitting in the centre. An unfinished pizza box laid on the carpeted floor an- what the fuck, is that a skeletal rat gnawing on pizza crust?! The small trash bin was overloaded with crumpled up paper and soda cans. The closet door to my right was ajar, and I saw what looked like to be the blade of a large scythe peeking out from under a pile of more trash bags. Across the room, I stared into the back of an office chair – those fancy leather ones with wheels – in front a gaming PC setup. The large 4K monitor was the only thing that breathed light into this rather depressing room.

Dear god, I've stumbled upon the room of a shut-in.

I stood there for a good minute doing nothing, half-expecting the owner of the voice to swivel her chair while stroking a cat. I tried to get her attention by coughing but that fell upon deaf ears. I mean the skeleton zombie rat gave me a quick glance but I'm not counting that. I sighed, "what's it going to take for a guy to get noticed by the supernatural?"

"Hey!" I yell at the top of my lungs.

"Oh shit!" was the only reply I got right before the chair fell back, ejecting its occupant onto the littered floor. A pair of gaming headphones bounced off onto the middle of the room when she crashed. The lighting was terrible but I still made out the poor figure sprawled on the floor.

Have you ever heard of the phrase " _looks can kill"_? Well, the moment I stared into her face I swear to you that I instantly felt as if my heart erupted, regenerated, and then proceeded to erupt again. She looked like she was in her early 20s, wearing nothing more than a large black hoodie giving me an ample view of her ghostly legs. Oh yes, she was pale – deathly pale. Beautiful soft blue eyes stared back into mine as she blew a strand of white hair away from her face.

Not what I expected.

"Uh…sup?"

"How long were you standing there?" she asked, standing back up. "Actually don't answer that. In fact, how about we move on, ignore me not paying attention to you, and just assume I was super professional and stuff and we met the moment you opened the door?"

" _This_ is professional?" I raised my brow with arms wide in the air indicating the disaster that was her room.

"R-Right, pardon the mess. I don't get that many souls that come through here. Extremely unusual deaths beyond destiny usually don't happen during this time of era." She awkwardly laughed at the end. It didn't last long when she quickly realised that I wasn't amused.

She started making space on her bed, clothing articles discarded onto the floor. A hum of approval was heard and she got back on her gaming chair. Gesturing to the bed, "Have a seat, it's really comfy. I got it half off from a killer sale at the store a century ago. I'll tell you about your ah _unfortunate_ accident."

I shrug my shoulders and comply.

"Let's start with introductions. And by that, I mean I'll be doing most of the talking." She clapped her hands. "My name is D, nice to meet you, I'm pretty sure you've realised this but just to make sure we're on the same page here: **You Are D~E~A~D"** The women known as D sang at the end, wagging her delicate finger with each letter.

"So…you're the big reaper? You're Death?" Well now, never in my life did I suspect the manifestation of the End of all Life to be a girl-

"Woah there pal, you're getting the wrong idea here." D shook her head. "That's my boss. I just work here in the reaping department. Unfortunately, I'm the only employee who works in this division." There was a sudden bitterness in her tone.

"You make it sound like the afterlife is some kind of business or something."

Definitely did not expect this.

"You'd be surprised…no getting off topic here. Look, long story short here is that you got crushed by a faulty helicopter and it's my responsibility to make sure your soul _passes – "_ she air quotes " – into the afterlife."

"Isn't this the afterlife?"

"~Yeeeeeh~ we get that a lot. You're actually in limbo right now. What happens after is considered the afterlife. Give me a moment; just got to open up your file." She turned to her computer and began typing. She winced, "Ouch, looks like you were supposed to live a ripe old age of 82."

"82?! What do mean I was supposed to live to 82?!" I got up from D's bed but was immediately pushed back.

"Like I said, you died at the wrong place and wrong time. I don't know, I guess you really pissed someone off in your past life for that to happen. Doesn't matter, you're stuck here with me until we get your future set." She stretched her arms.

"Now that we have that out of the way, let's get back to business. Tell me pal do you believe in the multiverse theory?" She opened up a can of Mountain Dew out of nowhere.

"The one where Schrödinger proposed?"

"Hmm" D nodded through her drink. "Weird guy that one was; had a bizarre fetish for torturing cats. Yeah, spoiler alert he was right. _Almost right_ , that is. His theory was too scientific, no room for fantasy or impossible stuff. Dragons and flying cars for example? They're out there in some crazy universes – hell there's even one where both exist together."

I just stared at her as she went on about different universes. What does this have to do with me dying?

She chugged the can. "Right, off topic again. My bad. So here's the thing. I can't send you to heaven or hell since you died unnaturally which would lead to an unfair judgement. I can't leave you in limbo because you'd end up using up my bandwidth – and I sure as hell need my ping to stay decent if I want to hit _Challenger_. I can't bring you back from the dead either since your corpse is under a bloody chopper. So that leaves me with one option left: _Reincarnation._ "

Ah fuck. "So…I lose my identity for another shot at life?"

"Kinda…?" She answered with a so-so hand gesture. "Bad news: you're going to be reincarnated into a universe with a high mortality rate. Sucks to be you, I can't do anything about it – higher ups have been roasting me with new policies."

She spoke mockingly, " _We need to show the other universal gods' that we care._ " D scoffed. "Please, you just want to look good in front of the boss."

"Well…shit." I didn't know how to react at this point. I just died and now I was told that I'm going to be reborn only to die early again. Life (…Un-life?) why do you hate me?

D gave me a sympathetic look and patted me on the shoulder. "Good news? You get to keep your memories. So it's your choice if you want to give up the old identity for a new one!" she forced a cheer with a fist in the air.

". . ." a dead stare was my only reply. Maybe I'm being selfish? I don't know, but I think having my memories and knowing I'm in a fucked world kinda sucks.

"Shhhh…I'm seeing some hostile feelings over this." Her expression deflated into a grimace. D leant closer to me and whispered, " _Okay so I'm not supposed to do this – I literally can not express how against the rules this is – but I can give you a tiny boost in your next life._ _Think of it like super strength, hyper-regeneration; the usual."_

That got my attention. "What makes it so bad then?"

D shrugged. "Ethical stuff, really. Well, that and it sort of makes you power crazy. In the beginning, it was fine. A couple humans would be born with a supernatural talent. Said humans use talents to start some crazy historic revolution. Yeah, it's all fine and dandy until they start thinking they're all gods among men. Did you know that the Boss had it when some child started the Black Plague?"

"So I can have a better chance of survival at the risk of becoming a megalomaniac?"

"Sort of? The powers themselves are fine, it's the societal circumstances you might end up in that result in insanity. Mountain Dew?" she offered me a can that once again appeared out of thin air. I politely accepted; I wanted to get rid of this rotting taste in my mouth.

"Super against the rules like I said already." D stared into the monitor while typing away on the keyboard. "But I'm sure no one would even notice in the universe you're going to be sent to. Hell, I'm positive that you won't end up crazy either. The Emperor Algorithm has been set. What would you like for your boost?"

"Surprise me." I shrugged. "If there's a random option, I'll take that one." I could have made myself overpowered, really tempted to give myself immortality or something to that degree. But if I don't know what I'm going to get, I feel somewhat relaxed that it won't make me crazy. I don't care if D was reassuring me, this is my mind here dammit.

"It's your funeral, pal." Rapid tapping of keys filled the room for a couple minutes until she paused. "Alright, you're all set and – oh that doesn't look good."

"What doesn't look good?" A sudden sense of dread filled my chest as I stared at the panicked expression of D.

"N-Nothing! Nothing at all." She forcibly smiled while furiously typing. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. "Okay, okay, _phew._ Um so yeah, it was nice to meet you pal, you ready to have some fun?"

"Hold up, what went wrong earlier –" A sudden urge to sleep echoes throughout my mind as a yawn is forced out of me. My body feels heavy; as if someone threw a sea of chains over my shoulders. "W-what?"

"That." D tilts her Mountain Dew soda to me, "my soon-to-be-alive friend, is the process of your soul being reincarnated."

"C-Can I ask one question?" God, it's too hard to stay awake right now.

Everything feels so numb.

"Sure." She sips.

"What universe will I be reborn in?" My body is collapsed on her bed, one eye barely open at this point.

D was right, the bed was comfy; I'm lying in an ocean of flowers, gentle dancing flowers.

"Universe Zero-U.M. Fun fact: the universe you used to live in made an animated series based on it –" Shit, I'm losing consciousness. Everything's getting darker. "- I believe it was called RWBY."

And then everything went black.

* * *

I open my eyes to find myself surrounded by trees. Hmm, trees? From just looking at the scenery in front of me I can already tell that I'm in a forest. From the whispers of wildlife to the rustling of leaves and branches as a slow dance of wind passes me; it was a pretty dead giveaway.

Everything feels so…clearer. Is this what feeling reborn – wait a second. . .

I was reincarnated!

Wait up. . . what did D say again? What universe was I sent to? _Z-Zero_ …um?

O-Oh…

Oh shit…

OOOOHHHHH SHIIIIIT I'M IN THE WORLD OF REMNANT

. . .Okay, let's calm down here, deep breaths. Control your inner fan. I can't believe it. I was reincarnated into a fictional world. No, in my old life, this was fiction. This is my new reality.

A reality where my chances of dying are high.

Then why the hell am I in a forest? That doesn't make sense. I should be in a hospital reborn as a baby, ready to meet my new parents. What kind of sick adults leave their child in the middle of a forest!?

 **GRRrrr…**

That sounded like a snarl. Wolf-like. RWBY. I hope to whatever god of this world that wasn't a beowolf.

My heart skips a beat when a large black claw slams the soil in front of me. The growling is closer now. My eyes inch upwards and I find myself staring directly at the jaws of a beowolf. Grimm, humanity's natural predator.

Please tell me how this was fair?! I just reincarnated for fuck sakes! Screw you beast!

 _ **Fire ball! PK-Thunder! FOS-ROH-DAH! ZA WARUDO?!**_

 _. . ._

The beowolf growls in a whispering tone, giving me the indirect message of " _LOL NOOB YOU FINISHED YET?"_

 _Fuck why did I ask D for a random ability!?_

I want to scream for help. I want to yell in defiance. I feel my mouth opening but no words came out. I can't move my body. I wasn't sure if it was fear locking me in place or if my new body needed to adjust itself to being reborn.

All I can do now is close my eyes and wait for the end.

But the end never came.

All I feel instead of death is a small pinch at the back of my neck. I'm lifted into the air and for a moment I feel as if I'm flying. I'm being carried somewhere but I'm afraid to open my eyes. After what seemed to be an eternity I'm dropped back down. All I hear now in my personal darkness is the sound of splashing water and drinking.

I creak on eye open to see the monster beside me bent over drinking from a rather large pond.

Ah, so it wants to eat me after a quick drink. Classy.

But it doesn't do so. The beast just stared down at me with its crimson eyes – almost curious about my inaction. If you wanted me to run so you can hunt me you can forget about it. I'm a pessimist in both heart and soul. After staring at my killer for a good minute, it tilts its snout to the pond. D-Does it want me to drink?

A monster is giving me my last meal: pond water. _Real classy._

Fine, I don't care anymore. Let's get this over with. I lean forward prepared to scoop some water into my hand – wait that's not my hand.

That's not a hand at all. This is a paw!

And that's when I saw it. Staring directly at me was another beowolf. It wasn't like the other one. No, the one staring at me with beady red eyes was _immature_. It was tiny, almost like a newborn pup. I tilted my head to the right and it mimicked my action. I closed my left eye and it copied my action again. I was staring at a beowolf pup.

I was staring at my own reflection. The realisation hits me like the ripples I've created as I hit the water with my tiny paw.

I've been reincarnated into the RWBY universe.

Not as a human or faunus with the potential of being a hero.

I've been reincarnated into a creature of Grimm.

 **Ah fuck.**

* * *

 **Fun fact: If you use the numberical value of zero, you spell 0UM.**


	2. Welcome to the Horde

**Wow, I really didn't expect the first chapter to have that great of a reception! For an OC/SI fic I was almost certain I would have around 10 followers and only 1-2 reviews. Let's get this show on the road!**

* * *

So I've recently just died and got reincarnated into the RWBY universe. You know before I found out that I was reborn as a monster I had dreams. Mostly fantasies concerning of personal wish fulfilment – but they were dreams, _my dreams_ , non-the less. I was going to train super hard and enroll into Beacon. I was going to befriend team RWBY and JNPR and be involved in their crazy antics. I was going to try and stop the fall of Beacon. Hell, I was even going to be Jaune's wingman and promote Arkos!

Kinda hard to be a wingman when the entire school wants to kill you.

But no, instead I get the short end of the stick and reincarnate into a beowolf. A fucking beowolf! Not a nevermore, not a deathstalker, and not even whatever the fuck team RNJR fought at end of season 4! NO, instead I become part of one of the lowest tiers of the hierarchy of Grimm! Life why do you hate me?

Why me? What did I do to deserve this fate? Who the hell did I possibly piss off in my previous life? I was an introvert with social anxiety dammit! There was no way someone like me could have made an eternal enemy! Or maybe something else –

And that's when it hits me:

 _"It's your funeral, pal." Rapid tapping of keys filled the room for a couple minutes until she paused. "Alright, you're all set and – oh that doesn't look good."_

 _"What doesn't look good?" A sudden sense of dread filled my chest as I stared into the panicked expression of D._

 _"N-Nothing! Nothing at all." She forcibly smiled while furiously typing._

That stupid woman…er spirit? Reaper? _Employee?_

Whatever!

If I ever see her again I'm going to make sure to give a bad customer satisfaction review. I have half the mind to kill myself just to meet her again and demand a do-over!

" **Grrr…** " Oh, wait that's my voice. I'm growling in anger. I don't sound threatening at all. I sound like a human baby trying to duplicate the sound of a roaring lion. Pathetic, truly I've become.

I can't do anything at the moment. I was currently being transported via mature beowolf to where ever it was taking me. Nothing to do but stare aimlessly at my surroundings and be lost in my own thoughts. Fun.

I just don't understand. Why a grimm, I thought those monstrosities were soulless? Do I still have a soul or were my memories just forced into this unlucky pup? The thought frightens me, I'm going to think of something else now.

We're going through a small passing. My eyes widened at the area around me. There were signs of conflict everywhere. I could see claw marks burned into trees, the rocks, the terrain itself even. I hoped I was imagining it at first but just looking around only confirmed my fears. There was blood. So much blood. It was everywhere. For every claw mark, there were two stains of blood just inches away. I don't know whose blood it belonged too. Human, animal, probably both if I'm considering that this is Grimm we're talking about here.

Strangely, I somehow felt it. These, these _emotions_. These lingering negative emotions. I could feel the sadness, the anger, the hopelessness all around me in the air. Oh god, this is what those poor souls felt moments before they met their end.

And as we continued along this bloodied path, the signs of destruction and suffering only got worse. My human mind wants to vomit in disgust, but my Grimm body just stares in awe as if I was a child discovering the outside world. (Wait, am I even considered a child?)

By sunset, we arrived at our destination. It was an open forest area with visible signs of trees forcibly clawed down. Damaged bones were scattered across the ground with a quiet buzzing of lingering flies. I felt my ears twitch slightly at the sound of a nearby river gushing water with the occasional splashing. I look up ahead and notice even more beowolves, each slightly different in appearance. Some had skull plating over their heads while others showed signs of variable bony spikes protruding from their arms and back. Though, I noticed that some of these Grimm were like me: small, weak, immature. But that was where our similarities ended. I had something these beasts didn't have: a soul . . . I think/ hope.

So this must be the pack. My pack. They didn't pay attention to me as I was carried along. Most attended to their own devices: gnawing on bones, fighting for discarded bits of flesh, while some just stared into the distance. Creepy.

Finally, the beowolf stops at a group of younglings and just drops me like a bag of groceries. My first impression of these young soon-to-be killers? They're all complete idiots. Two of them are wrestling each other in what I can assume to be a sad display of dominance while another just watches in bizarre fascination. Another is… it's just running around in circles chasing its tail. You're hunting the wrong target, you moron.

I quickly turned to meet my transporter. I'm aware that I'm incapable of speech and I doubt it would understand me even if I could talk, but I hoped my red eyes gave the correct message: ' _yo homie I don't want to be here. Take me away from these idiots.'_

Older crimson stared back into mine and in response, it snarled, almost amusingly, ' _Scrub you're not my problem anymore.'_ It nudged me even closer to them and promptly left after.

I just sat there and stared at them in silence. The misfits stopped at what they were doing and stared back for a good second only to ignore me and continue where they left off.

Odd. Do grimm pups even exist? Last time I checked, grimm came out of a black pool of sludge outside of Salem's backyard. Then again, multiverse theory seemed like a very plausible answer at the moment.

I really don't know what I should be doing at this point. Out of boredom, I tried making claw marks in the dirt. Emphasis on _tried_. My claws might as well classify as long fingernails considering the "mark" I made looked like someone had dug a plastic fork through the ground.

Several minutes (I counted the seconds by the way) later, a beowolf with a skull mask appeared before us with a bloody object trapped between in fangs. It drops the package, letting droplets of blood drip from its gaping maw. My canine nose picks up the foul odor; it's fresh. My eyes hovered over the object and realise it's a hand. A human hand. Oh god.

Not a second passed after masked beast dropped the hand before absolute chaos ensued. The pups, all of them, they suddenly broke out into a frenzy. I don't know how to describe it. One moment they're doing stupid things, the next they're beings overcome with bloodlust. They all pounce on the piece of flesh like savages, gnawing and thrashing, fighting over who can get another bite.

All of this occurred as I just sat there, bewildered at the strange scene. I felt immense relief that I didn't suddenly turn into a ravenous creature like the others. Being honest here, but I was afraid that I was going to have to experience a spiritual journey consisting of 20+ chapters in order to control my monstrous urges. Thank god life decided to throw me a small bone…or hand.

Not wanting to watch anymore I decided to move somewhere else; might as well explore my surroundings and see what else-

. . .

I managed to get one inch away from the scene before collapsing on the dirt. A new problem had arisen, something I possibly did not expect: I absolutely had no idea how to walk on four legs.

Was it left-right or right-left first? Was it simultaneous? God damn, my legs feel as if somebody had duct taped my feet to stilts drenched in oil! Why is such a basic function so hard?

 _Sigh_. This was going to be the start of a horrible life.

* * *

 **Week 1**

Seven days have passed since the shut-in reaper known as D screwed up on my reincarnation. I thought it would be a funny idea to ingrain the total amount of days I've survived into a nearby tree. Well that, and I need to maintain my sanity. Losing your sense of time is one of the first steps to madness.

It took a total of six days, but I've mastered the art of walking. It started out painful and pitiful. My early attempts could have been classified as me doing stretches to the eventual _Worm_. Running was an entirely different story, however. Oh, I can run in my new body. The only issue was that I couldn't run long distances. Stamina wasn't the problem – I've discovered that I and by extension the rest of my demonic race have what appeared to be an extremely large amount of stamina. I dared to claim that it was unlimited even. No, muscle memory was the issue here. My legs would turn into spaghetti mid-run and I would always come crashing on dirt. More practice was needed.

Something I've confirmed is that creatures of Grimm don't require food. I've gone for an entire week without eating and not once have I felt signs of malnutrition or my stomach growling. I guess Grimm hunting humanity is a built-in psychological thing, though thanks to my human soul I don't have to worry about sinking my fangs into anything with emotions. Water wasn't necessary either but I drink it to get rid of the dryness that builds up in my mouth. Honestly, you know that disgusting taste you get in the morning when you wake up? Yeah, that's what I experience.

I still haven't discovered what the random ability D had given me yet. I thought _maybe_ it had something to do my eyes. So I spent an entire day staring at Grimm hoping they would erupt in a black inferno. I gave up on the idea of ocular super powers when I failed to summon a _Susanoo_. What, a guy can hope alright?

I have yet to come face-to-face with a human, let alone a huntsman, but the day will eventually come. And when it does, I better have known my super ability by then. Taking another life terrifies me, I don't even think I have it in me. But self-defence justified by survival was a completely different story. Why did I have to be in these circumstances? _Why couldn't I have been reincarnated into a rabbit faunus or some middle-aged farmer forced to look after Velvet's not-so-maybe-confirmed sister_?

I had just finished my daily practice run around the territory and decided to spend the remaining of my day lazing around with Steve – the beowolf who loved to hunt its tail. The sick thing even managed to tear a piece off too, _urgh_. What? Am I not allowed to give names to creatures of pure destruction? I'm not crazy alright, I just thought it would be a great idea at the time of boredom to assign an identity to a random beowolf. Steve just happened to be there.

I'm not crazy. I'm not, I swear.

I found my usual rock near Steve (who was doing Steve things) and got into resting position, fully prepared to soak in the warmth of the sun. Just as I was about to close my eyes I notice the Alpha beowolf pass by me. Its armoured body replaced the sunlight with its mountain of a shadow. Among the pack, the Alpha was the strongest. Its mere appearance itself showed that it was fit to lead. With skeletal plating covering its entire face with blood-red lining across the surface, the beast could strike fear into its prey with a simple stare. Its jagged claws were reinforced with bone; I couldn't even call them claws at this point. It was as if _Edward Scissor-hands_ had upgraded his scissors into thick machetes. It was also the tallest, meaning that it had survived in this world for a very long time. And with time came experience. Cold blooded experience.

The Alpha stared down at me, its eyes containing curiosity. It looked as if it was studying me and my somewhat odd behaviour. Again. God, I hate it when it does that. I don't know why but only the pack leader seems to pay the most attention to me. The rest of the pack acknowledged my presence but that's as far as it goes. This one wants to know what made me tick.

The Alpha's presence alone makes my black fur stand on its ends. My heart suddenly begins to race and I can feel its rapid thumping within my chest. Sometimes I think that this will be the end for me. That the Alpha will somehow detect my inner humanity and snuff the life out of me with a single swipe of its claw. I stared back into its glare. A stupid thing I was doing – maintaining eye contact meant that I was challenging its authority. I don't know why I kept doing this every time we have these little encounters. Fear? Stupidity perhaps? It was a reflex I had no control over.

I forced my eyes shut and feigned sleep. I hoped that I wasn't sending the wrong message: ' _You're blocking my sun, move.'_

It snarled quietly and leaves me be. I feel my body instantly relax as I forced a breath out from my mouth. Nothing to do now but listen to my slow breathing as sleep takes me.

I should really think of a name for it. Maybe Bob? Bill? Dick?

* * *

 **Week 2**

After considerate thought and a rather delightful (and mostly one-sided) discussion with Steve, I've decided to name the leader of the pack _Skull Face_. Believe me, I tried assigning a bunch of different names but it just didn't stick. They all sounded stupid for such a ferocious creature. You think a huntsman would be afraid of an Alpha named _Carl?_ That's just stupid. Now _Skull Face?_ It's still a stupid name, but it gets the message across.

 _"Hello. My name is Skull Face_. _I ate your father. Prepare to die."_

I have running down to a beat now. The daily practices have helped tremendously. Skull Face seemed to have noticed as well considering I was forcibly volunteered into joining today's hunt. It was a rather small group consisting of Skull Face, Steve, two other beowolves, and of course me.

Believe me, the thought of going AWOL was the first thing that popped in my head. The risk of evoking Skull Face's wrath was the next thought that popped up and proceeded to beat up my first thought. Poor first thought, you never stood a chance.

I could feel a slight chill from within as I take in the wind rushing past me with each rapid step I took. I'm trying my hardest to keep up with the others. But with their massive bodies, they don't have to manoeuvre through every wildflower or weed that gets in their way. They might as well be running in a straight path compared to the cluster of canopies, stones, and trees that I need to overcome. For fuck sakes, I might as well be reincarnated in the _Assassin's Creed_ universe!

I barked at the group ahead hoping they would slow down. God, even Steve was faster than me.

I used to think that dogs aged quickly. Beowolves age twice as fast.

Over the past 2 weeks, the immature beowolves have exponentially grown into the creatures from Ruby's trailer. Their fangs and claws have become even deadlier, and with their extended limbs, they can cover a lot more distance when on the hunt. They've grown to the point where they're able to stand on their hind legs with ease. There's just one slight problem I've noticed.

I have yet to experience my growth spurt.

For a better explanation, no changes have occurred to me what so ever. I'm not overexaggerating. I look like the splitting image of myself from the moment I woke up in this world. It was as if I was locked in some sort of chrono-stasis. I hope to whatever gods out there that my random ability wasn't eternal youth. If it was then D picked the wrong species and age for this ability to activate.

The good news is that I won't be killing anyone with this body. _The bad news is that I can be killed by anyone with this body_.

Heh, my predicament is such crap that I'm laughing sarcastically on the inside.

I lost sight of them. They've disappeared into the maze of trees. Wait, they're howling, why are they howling - * _BANG*_.

A golden flash lights up the distance as a thunderous clap erupts through my eardrums. The howling had long ceased afterwards. My legs followed the sound and I found myself at the edge of the forest. In front of me was a hiking path that reached into the horizon. The idea of travelling to a new location was interesting but I refocused my attention to more important matter: the source of the noise.

My eyes widened from fear for my life and I immediately rushed back behind a tree. This was soon. Way too soon.

A huntsman.

He resembled the image of a full-metal knight: a full suit of heavy silver armour whose upper suit was reinforced with additional plating. The dancing white cape reminded me of a flag in the middle of autumn. Azure sparks of electricity crackled around his body resembling a defensive aura. His face was covered by a helmet and I might be imagining it but steam was pouring out of the eye slit. A golden spear that was clearly twice the huntsman's size was gripped firmly in his gauntlet. He stood motionless over of the remains of my hunting group with not even a single sign of fatigue.

All that remained around the knight were the lower torsos of decaying beowolves and Steve – poor guy never stood a chance. It was as if an unholy lightning had simultaneously struck them all down leaving behind ashen smoke as a show of a hunter's fury.

. . .That could have been me in the future dammit!

For once I'm actually thankful that I'm pathetically small.

" **Grrrr** " I jumped in surprise, my heart forgets to function for a mere second. I turned my head to greet Skull Face standing behind me. Of course, it wouldn't meet its end that easily. Years of survival has taught the Alpha restraint and self-preservation. A head-on fight would be suicide for the Grimm, and we both knew that. We shared eye-contact for no more than a second. Skull Face let out a huff and turned back to the resting grounds. Today's hunt ended up in failure.

Not as if I'd contribute, of course.

The clanging of steel was heard as I watched the huntsman continue along the trail. I should turn head back now. No point in staying any longer than necessary unless I wanted to share the same fate. But my legs don't listen, they creep forward, towards the corpses. Logic screamed at me to turn back. But I'm consumed by an overwhelming force from within.

My entire body was shaking, trying to regain back control; but everything is in slow motion. T-This feeling, I don't know what it was. Definitely wasn't bad, though it wasn't fully good either. It was a burning desire that was forcing my steps. I was heading towards the guillotine, my impending death. Any second now that huntsman will turn his head and kill me. I know it and I'm filled with crushing dread.

And then I hear it, a mute voice roars in my mind.

 ** _Claim what is yours. Gluttonize. For you are. . ._**

My crimson eyes widened at the entropy. The ascending ashes from the fallen… they're no longer disintegrating into nothingness … they're surging towards me. I'm absorbing it! A wave of pleasure suddenly fills me. Amazing, that was the only word to describe it. I felt like I could lead an army!

And then it ends. Just like a light switch being flipped.

The satisfying sensation is gone just like the remains of the Grimm. God, I don't know what that was but I wanted to experience that bliss again. It was more than just getting another high. _It was the feeling of supremacy itself._ That short experience made me come to realise the abysmal numbness within me ever since I was reborn. It was a feeling I quickly adopted as "normal" with the passing mundane days as I tried to come to terms that I'm part of humanities' greatest enemies. I realised it now. I threw my trembling claw into the earth out of built up frustration.

 _Powerless._

I hated it. I don't want to feel _that_ anymore. I wanted the opposite, something more, never lesser.

I wanted greatness.

I gazed into the empty sky reflecting on this insane possibility. The more I think I about it, the more possible I think I can achieve it. I can't help but grin in excitement.

I turned back into the lonely forest.

I had a lead on my random ability.

More experimentation was required.


	3. Skull Face

**Hello, again my fellow readers. Second chapter in and we already broke the 100 followers limit. Ah, your continued support makes me smile! Let's aim for 200!**

* * *

"More experimentation was required."

Yeah, I know it's a cool one liner but actually _applying_ it was another story. A very complicated story.

I had immediately rushed straight for the river to catch a glimpse of my reflection, hoping for any signs of physical change. No signs of bony armor or even the slightest sign of physical growth.

No such luck. I still remained my tiny self.

My next approach was testing if my physical strength had increased. That ended up in failure once I felt the literal and metaphorical pain from my paw when I tried to shatter a rock. Again, no such luck. Why did I even think that would be a good idea?

Perhaps I would experience a growth spurt if I absorbed more of the fallen Grimm? That may be problematic since I would need corpses first. Murdering them myself was impossible given my current body. I was a mobile back scratcher at best! Hell, would the other beowolves retaliate if I tried to attack? No sense in risking it. And it's not like I can ask a random hunter to do it for me due to my unfortunate _circumstances_. That's just asking for a free decapitation.

In order to continue this experiment, I needed to acquire more samples. Or in this case – dead Grimm. Hmm, now that I think about it, am I really absorbing them or just their ashes? Are those floating particles even ashes? I should probably give it a name.

I'll name it _Essence-with-a-capital-E!_

That sounds cool; when I'm near decaying monsters I absorb their Essence to get high!

. . . Okay, poor wording there. I made it sound like some kind of dank drug. Now I'm curious. I wonder if it's possible to smoke Grimm – bad thoughts! Stay focused me!

Right, so staying on task now. If I absorbed enough Essence, would I evolve? Would I become a Grimm that actually had a chance to defend itself? God, I won't know until I found a way to effectively kill my own species . . . that sounded pretty messed up out of context. Actually, even if it was in context it still sounded messed up!

A beowolf's howl echoed throughout the territory. My ears perked up at the sound and I creaked open an eye to see what the commotion was about. Can't those filthy animals see I'm trying to rest/ plot their deaths?

Oh, that looked interesting. I gave my legs a good stretch as I got up from Steve's tombstone (my usual sleeping rock) and started to make my way towards the gathering of Grimm at the centre. Being small had some benefit I guess; I was easily able to maneuver passed the huddled bodies.

Around the semi-circle of beasts stood Skull Face and another beowolf. It was about the same height as the leader so I assumed that this one was around Skull Face's age. Though they were different in appearances. Jagged bone plating encased its entire jaw leaving the upper half of its face exposed. Instead of white armor, this one only had a reinforced rib cage. What stood out to me was the array of spines protruding out of its back and arms. Although Skull Face clearly had more defence, the other beowolf – who I decided to call Jagger Jaw at that very moment – had much more offensive capability in comparison. They were having a Mexican standoff – why were they having a Mexican standoff?

Jagger Jaw got on all fours, fully prepared to leap onto the Alpha. It let out a chilling growl, baring its fangs and killing intent. Skull Face just stood there completely unfazed at the predatory gesture. Its crimson eyes stared at its foe with no blind hostility that the younger beowolves possessed. Instead, the stare was cold, almost as if Skull Face was calculating its next actions. Everything had gone silent, no chirping birds or dancing winds. Everyone, even the hazy afternoon sun itself, was a witness to this event.

Ah, I understand now. This was a fight for dominance over the pack. Jagger Jaw wanted to become the new Alpha. Strange. _World of Remnant_ never said anything about grimm fighting for leadership. Was this just a beowolf thing?

The sound of a distant crow cawing signalled the start of the duel between monsters. Jagger Jaw roared before it dashed at Skull Face. It raised a claw, ready to cleave the current Alpha in two. Skull Face avoided the swing entirely with a simple leap back. When Jagger Jaw realised that all it cut was thin air, another piercing cry was released. A flock of birds suddenly flew over our territory, briefly enveloping us in their shadows. The challenger's eyes were practically glowing with fury.

It charged again ready to use the same attack from before. Skull Face once again dodged, only to add more fire to Jagger Jaw's temper once it countered the attack with its own. It was an insulting back-handed swing across the face as if the Alpha was telling its opponent, _'you're not worth my machete claws'_. Jagger Jaw broke out into a wild frenzy, wildly swinging attacks left and right with no intention of letting down. They were sloppy swings. Uncontrolled and without any thought what so ever. I was certain that Jagger Jaw didn't care what it was doing so long as our current Alpha was killed.

But despite Jagger Jaw's unrelenting barrage, Skull Face still had that calculating glare. It cancelled out every attack, whether it was through intercepting with its own hand or just outright jumping to the other side of the battlefield to create more space for itself. Their differences in experience were shown clear as day. And with each failed attempt Skull Face would snarl, mockingly with self-amusement I might add, at the other beowolf. Jagger Jaw roared even louder and in response, Skull Face raised its armored head towards the sky and snarled loud enough for the whole territory to hear. And just like that, the others joined in the mockery. Each beowolf snarled at the fool Jagger Jaw was making itself. I joined in on it myself too.

Jagger Jaw's anger had reached its limit. It bellowed like crackling thunder into the sky, shutting the rest of the pack back into silence. Maybe that's what Skull Face was hoping for; that tiny window of time when Jagger Jaw, blind in rage, broke eye contact from his battle hardened foe. A fatal mistake it made.

Not even second had passed before Skull Face leapt at Jagger Jaw sending it hurtling to the ground. It struggled to get up but Skull Face made it impossible with its massive body weight crushing it down. It thrashed away, tossing and twisting its body in a poor attempt to get the Alpha off of it. Skull Face opened its shadowy jaws and sunk its dagger-like fangs into the trapped Grimm's lower chest.

It cried out in pain and the thrashing to escape became even more desperate. My ears picked up the sound of bone being shattered. Skull Face stood up, holding its prize in between its teeth with black mist seeping out: one of Jagger Jaw's ribs. It spat it out in disgust.

Jagger Jaw was about to scream in defiance but instantly shut up when a claw was crushed into the earth beside its head. A cloud of stone and debris formed upon impact; I swore the ground itself shook from that. Everything went silent. Skull Face leaned in and quietly snarled into Jagger Jaws ears, _'You can't win.'_ It lifted its arm and walked away, the other beowolves stood aside making a path for the defending Alpha. Soon the rest of the pack broke apart from the performance leaving Jagger Jaw alone in defeat.

Jagger Jaw stared at me, not filled with anger nor killing intent but with curiosity. It was the same stare that Skull Face gave me. We broke our little staring contest after a bitter growl escaped its mouth. It crept into the deep forest in shame or bitterness. I had no idea. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if it was going to plot Skull Face's death.

I learned something from watching the fight. First, the creatures of Grimm were much more complex than I thought they would be. A social hierarchy was clearly in place, which meant that grimm aren't completely mindless as I first expected. Second, my ability to absorb Essence may have a certain range. When Skull Face had torn off a piece of Jagger Jaw a small part of me was grinning in anticipation for the Essence to makes its way to me. But like a child asking for a chainsaw for Christmas, it never happened. Like I said, range _may_ be the issue but Jagger Jaw was very much _still_ _alive_ , regrettably, so that had to be taken into consideration as well.

But most importantly was the bone. A dead Grimm will evaporate into nothing, that much is certain. But if a piece of its armor was forcibly removed? The answer was in front of me. The flesh had long since decayed but the rib, a curved pike resembling the moon's crescent, was still in existence.

I twisted my neck to pick up the bone with my mouth. My head tilted forward as I immediately felt the weight in my mouth. Christ, with my current body I may as well be carrying a short sword with my teeth.

Yes, this will do.

This will do very well.

* * *

Have I mentioned that Grimm have night-vision?

Okay, maybe that was an over-exaggeration. I can't completely see in the dead of night, but I might as well call it "night-vision" if we're comparing human eyes. Everything was definitely clearer with these crimson eyes. In the dimmest of light, I could still make out the perceptions of edges, silhouette, and hell, even movement. This made a lot of sense the more I thought about it. Grimm were the hunters of humanity; no point in giving prey a chance to rest at night either I suppose.

What confuses me is why grimm even need sleep in the first place. We have loads of energy, so that doesn't seem to be the issue here. A psychological thing maybe? Hmm, I'm actually tempted to stay awake for an entire week now.

Regardless, the time to act was now. I got up from my rock and readied the white instrument in my mouth. I slowly crept towards the closest slumbering beowolf. For such a slow effort in movement, I could already feel my heart racing. Every single sound, no matter how small and insignificant, would make my heart skip a beat. These mindless killers wouldn't even notice if one of their own suddenly vanished. A cloud passed over the shattered moon, blocking off any light from hitting Remnant's surface. In the dead of night, not a single soul would bear witness to my act; not even the moon itself.

Goodness, this was some Shakespearean shit going on right now.

The poor beowolf looked helpless in its deep sleep. With its eyes shut, I might have mistaken it for a large dog. Its neck was exposed to me. Good, this will make things easier. All I needed to was to – shit. What am I doing? Why now?

I-it's hilarious. I-I'm trembling. I'm actually trembling over the act of killing a monster! Am I really having an internal conflict right now? _This is happening way too early in my story…of life._ My legs were vibrating like crazy and I suddenly found myself frozen stiff! Are you seriously kidding me right now?! Oh god, the irony in my situation is thick! _EXTRA THICK!_

M-Maybe I should wait for tomorrow instead? You know, get some time to mentally prepare myself – no that won't solve anything. I'll just tell myself that the same thing tomorrow and the day after as well. That's not even taking into consideration if I ever find an opportunity like this again.

I recalled the memory of the first time I absorbed the Essence of the dead. It only happened yesterday and yet it felt like a century had passed since I obtained that blissful sensation again. A warm feeling tingles from within. It's not like the other one; this one feels more _gentle_. Like a calm before the storm. I need to steel my resolve. I don't want to do this but I need to. I need to absorb its Essence.

I tightened my bite into the piece of bone out of determination. I swung my head, driving the spike straight into beast's throat. My heart sunk in despair when I heard the beowolf let out a faint groan. My eyes darted over and I notice that its chest rose. Damn it! I didn't stab it hard enough!

And then it stops.

The beowolf becomes silent and its chest collapses. It's dead. I-I actually did it. I killed my first grimm. Like any reincarnated human, this is the part where I'm rejoicing. But I'm not human. All I feel at this moment is relief that the act is finally done and over with.

 _ **Claim what is yours.**_

My efforts were greatly rewarded. I absorbed the Essence of the beowolf and I became overwhelmed with the euphoric feeling of victory. It felt even better than last time! Have you ever bitten something sweet and your taste buds just explode in amazement? Replace taste buds with my entire body and multiply it by infinity. That was an understatement. God, words can not describe how incredible I felt right now.

I basked in the ashes of the fallen. All of it, until there is nothing left but the murder weapon. I picked it up with my mouth again. Surprisingly it felt lighter, ever so slightly lighter. I might be imagining things; the euphoria was getting to my head. I spotted another sleeping beowolf.

I heard that taking another life was one of the hardest things a human soul could do. They say that it gets easier afterwards. But that's something a serial killer would say. And I'm not a serial killer. These are monsters, not humans. The idea of killing another causes my heart to twist in mild anxiety. But the feeling of absorbing more Essence soothed my worries. Before I even realised it, I'm standing over my next victim.

 _ **Gluttonize.**_

I pierced its black flesh with all my might. Crimson eyes darted left and right, searching for another target as Essence twirled into the night air.

More experimentation was required.

* * *

Five.

That's how many I killed yesterday. I would have kept on going had the last beowolf not defiantly snarled upon the realisation that it had a bone pierced in its throat. In hindsight, I could have kept going. Paranoia for getting caught was both a blessing and a curse sometimes. Though I am slightly thankful. I told myself that no one – and by that, I mean the Alpha – would notice if one or two beowolves disappeared. After I absorbed just one, I had completely convinced myself that the entire pack had to die to satisfy my unending thirst. Skull Face would be suspicious for sure.

I made sure to hide the bone behind a tree nearby my rock before dawn. Mindless or not, I wasn't taking any chances.

As activity among the pack began to gradually increase I headed towards the river to inspect my appearance. I couldn't help but frown in disappointment when I saw my reflection. I looked the same. The disappointment grew even larger when I failed to notice any signs of increased physical strength. No changes once again.

I'm not going to give up, however. I'll keep absorbing Essence until something happens. Patience was key right now.

I noticed the leader of the pack waiting for me by my resting rock when I got back. I gulped, fearing that it somehow figured out that I was responsible for the deaths of its pack members. Still, I walked with ignorance, masked with purpose, towards Skull Face. We engaged in our usual staring contest, though it was a bit longer than expected. I'm aware that Grimm can sense negative emotions – I should know after all – and I'm trying my hardest to suppress my fear. Kinda hard to do that when your heart is beating a mile a minute. I'm expecting Skull Face to figure it all out. I'm expecting that this will be my last moments before I'm inevitably cut down.

The silence was deafening.

And then all the built up tension was erased. It snarled, tilting its head towards the deep forest. Aw come on! This was way too early for a hunt!

Skull Face growled as if responding to my mental complaint, _'You're going and that's final.'_

I lowered my head and followed in defeat.

* * *

It was the unusual small hunting group again. Skull Face, me, and three others. I was doing a better job at playing keep up with the older beowolves. Maybe it was an improvement in muscle memory or the Essence I absorbed, but I noticed that I'm having an easier time free running through the forest's interior. I can maintain eyesight with them, though the distance between us was impossible to shorten. I don't know how long we've been running. Thirty minutes, an hour, two hours? I don't know, I've lost track of time in my rapid steps. It didn't help that this part of the forest only allowed small bits of sunlight to pass through its growth.

I hope we encountered that full metal knight again. It sounded crazy, I'm aware, but I wouldn't mind absorbing some fried beowolf corpses. I'll take what I can get alright – _BANG!_ The sound of gunfire rang through my ears the moment I saw the beowolves leap past the trees ahead.

My psychotic prayers have been answered!

My running comes to a halt as I got closer. The sound of pebbles falling off the cliff was heard and my heart skips a beat each time a stone lands on the ground below. A growl of small frustration was released. This was one of those times where I cursed my lack of growth. The cliff wouldn't be a hazardous jump if I was the size of an _average_ beowolf. Hell, it wouldn't even be considered a cliff in the first place if I just grew!

I stared down at the scene from above. A dead beowolf – missing its head – rested on the gravel a few steps away from a huntsman. A gruff looking fellow wielding a tri-barrel rifle. Black blood evaporated off his denim overcoat. He seemed unfazed by it, his focus was at the enemies surrounding him.

"Well come on! Who's next!?" He declared, firing an explosive bullet at another beowolf. Its head exploded. I frowned as I watched the grimm slowly evaporate. Its Essence wasn't coming towards me. Damn it, of course that was a range for this ability! What a waste of beowolves, I could have killed them in their sleep!

The bearded human chuckled with another kill. The third beowolf struck from behind, slashing the huntsman's back. He grunted in surprise, catching his balance at the last second. "You're going to have to do a lot better than that!" he quickly spun around and blew off the attacker's leg. A blind shot. I was certain he acted off of his trigger finger rather than keep calm and aim for a headshot. Regardless, the beowolf collapsed on the ground, crying in agony at its lost limb. The huntsman planted his boot on top of its chest and took aim. Like the others, its head exploded in a gruesome fashion.

Now that the fodder was eliminated and regrettably unabsorbed, I couldn't help but wonder. Where was our leader?

A blood thirsty cry followed by a massive shadow from above was the answer. The huntsman rolled out of the way. Like a meteor crashing into the world, Skull Face's landing shook the earth, causing a dust cloud to engulf the entire area. I couldn't see either of the two. The huntsman had been swallowed up in the dust. The only thing I could make out were two floating orbs of death from below. Flashes of light and the booming of thunder erupted in the cloud. The orbs darted to the right in an instant. Skull Face let out a ferocious battle cry and charged ahead.

The flashes of lightning didn't let up. My ears felt the vibrations every time the rifle was fired. I stared in sheer awe as the crimson orbs dodged each bullet in quick succession. It was so fast, I could only make out red lines which indicated the path Skull Face took.

"Shit!" the huntsman cried. The fog was beginning to lift; I could make out their silhouettes now. Skull Face pounced straight at the human. He rolled out of the way last second and, in a kneeling position, put three bullets into the Alpha. Skull Face took the shots head on. Literally. Sparks ignited as the bullets made their mark at the beowolf's forehead. But its armored skull rendered the huntsman's efforts useless.

The huntsman prepared to roll out of the way again as Skull Face charged. But years of survival had taught the Alpha how to adapt. Anticipating where the huntsman would be, Skull Face twisted its feet, adjusting its trajectory to intercept the huntsman. He cursed when the beowolf tackled him onto the ground. With rifle still in hand, he desperately took aim. Immense jaws enveloped the gun, and just like that, the ranged weapon was crushed into pieces. The Alpha roared.

I felt it. God, I felt it. The panic, the fear, the anger emitting from this poor soul. The sudden realisation of the end; the growing despair that he was trying contain within. It's as if someone was squeezing my insides. I don't want to feel this. Please, stop.

Please.

And then it began. Skull Face tore at the pinned down man. Swiftly swiping left and right with sharpened claws. I tried to drown out his screams. I tried, I tried my hardest to mute everything around me. But I failed.

 _This_ was a creature of Grimm. True Grimm. Not like the weak fodder that made up the majority of the pack. So much lethality and fury contained in one horrific being. I closed my eyes and looked away from the scene in horror. I just wanted the screams to stop. Hurry up and die already!

"I'll see you in hell!" the sound of an explosion echoed throughout the entire forest. A sudden surge of heat coursed through my being. I stared at a pillar of flames rise up from below. It died down in an instant, replaced with a red mist. That must have been his last act as a huntsman. In order to make sure that this old monster never took another life, he gave his own.

I stared into the dim inferno. Alas, poor Skull Face – what the fuck?! There's no way.

No fucking way.

Out of the blazing aftermath, a monstrous giant crawled out. Botches of fur over its steaming body were missing and its bone-like plating, once ghostly white, was singed black and cracked. Skull Face was alive. Gravely injured from the mark the huntsman left, but still alive.

It stopped all of a sudden and turned its head in my direction.

As we exchanged our silent stares, a realisation awakened.

These younger beowolves were weak. In the large scheme of things, they were insignificant beings. But the ancient creations of Grimm? The ones that learned to adapt and evolve against humanity? That was power – that was what I needed. The only reason I didn't evolve was that the Essence I was absorbing was weak. I needed something a little _stronger_.

What I was going to do next would be considered borderline suicidal. I didn't care anymore, this was a golden opportunity.

Tonight, I was going to kill Skull Face.

* * *

Like a beacon of authority, Skull Face slept at the centre of the territory. This made it particularly difficult for me to reach the Alpha with the array of slumbering beowolves blocking the path. I didn't want to know what would happen if I accidentally woke one of them from underestimating the length of the weapon between my teeth.

Of course, if there are obstacles blocking your path, it's best you _permanently remove_ them out of the way.

As I got closer to the pack leader, the trembling of my legs became more apparent. My conviction to kill wasn't the issue; I was high from slaughtering the others. No, I was terrified for my life. I'm half expecting Skull Face to wake up and instantly take my head with a single bite. But I pressed forward. I was so close, so very close!

Three feet.

Two feet.

One.

Goodbye Skull Face. Like the rest of my victims, I impaled the bone into its neck. My composure relaxes ever so slightly that it's finally done.

But it wasn't done.

A blood-curdling cry filled the entire territory and I'm certain that the entire pack was awake. Crimson orbs awakened and immediately I'm flung into the air. Its expression was the same like Jagger Jaw's: uncontrolled fury.

I came crashing back down, rolling through the dirt before crashing into a tree. I heard something crack – no I felt something crack. An overwhelming pain washes over me. Need to get up. Need to run. But I can't. I can't get up – fuck it hurts so bad to get up! I have no feeling in my left arm, it's just lying there limp. Damn it!

No.

No no no no no no no no no no no no no no!

This wasn't how this was supposed go! I was supposed to absorb you! You were supposed to die like the rest of these demons! Why are you still alive?!

The distant howling gets louder with each agonizing second. I could see it, the Alpha. It was running at me with sheer ferocity. It ignored its injuries – even the rib piece impaled in its neck – as if they never existed in the first place. Its eyes contained the same bloodlust when it fought the huntsman.

My entire body was shaking. My breathing was unsteady and uncontrolled. This was the end.

It's not fair! It's not fair, damn it! Why me?! Why was I being punished? I didn't ask to be a fucking beowolf!

In a few seconds, I was going to be dead.

I lifted my head. I let it all out. I released all the anger and frustration at my hopeless situation – not just my failed attempt but also the fact that I was reincarnated into a pathetic creature. I roared at the advancing grimm, not caring how pathetic my voice sounded, with a single message that had consumed my mind.

 **Die.**

The beast unexpectedly stumbled, losing its footing and came crashing down. The momentum dragged its massive body towards me until we're only a couple feet away from each other. I'm suddenly too exhausted to maintain my anger. The adrenaline was probably dying down. I gazed into the madness behind its eyes. Likewise, the Alpha contemplated the insanity behind mine. Our typical staring contest; our last as well.

It snarled, trying to get up but failed to do so in the end. Neither of us can move, we both accepted the fact. A glimpse of moonlight hovered over my leader while I basked under the shadows of the tree behind me. It was just like our first interaction: I would be in your shadow while _you_ hogged all the light.

How utterly poetic.

A sea of red eyes surrounds us.

The old beowolf let out a silent snarl. It was a whisper at best. Ashes slowly began to flutter their way towards me. It closed its eyes and I could no longer hear its breath.

Skull Face was dead.

A howl echoed among the pack of watchers. It was weak. Another howl followed and another after that. Soon, the entire pack howled over the death of their Alpha, _my Alpha_.

Skull's Face's Essence rapidly surged towards me. I found myself in heaven as I took in every last piece of my leader's cinders. An unanticipated darkness clouds my vision and a welcoming warmth spread on top of my head. An odd sensation filled my body. A feeling of rejuvenation. Was my – was my body healing itself? My left arm, which I knew for certain was broken, twitched. I stood up, the damage to my body had miraculously vanished. I stepped into the light. The other beowolves made no sign of movement, only observation.

Nothing was left of Skull Face. Only the bone of which I used to kill it was planted into the soil.

I stared at my tiny paw. Heh, I should be feeling disappointment but I don't. I felt something else. It was a familiar feeling whenever I absorbed Grimm.

I felt powerful.

. . . And slightly heavier around my head. Did a bird land on me or something? I tapped my forehead, expecting claw to meet fur. I felt something harder instead. Bone.

Achievement had taken a hold over me. I did it. It wasn't what I expected, but I did it. _I evolved!_

I stared into Remnant's shattered moon and cackled in laughter. It didn't sound like laughter at all. It was more like the sound of someone choking on a chicken bone. But I didn't care. This was my laugh, my voice, _my body_.

I heard quiet movement from all around me and my laughter died in an instant. My eyes widened at the sight of my surroundings.

They- they're bowing. They were bowing their heads to me! I don't – I don't understand? Why are the beowolves bowing to me – oh. The memory of Jagger Jaw challenging the Alpha randomly appeared in my mind. I was victorious, wasn't I?

I just killed the pack's leader.

Then – then that means that I . . .

" **Ha…"**

" **Hah hah…"**

" **HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH- "**

My laughter returned with a vengeance. God, I must have sounded like a maniac if I was a human. Good thing I'm neither human nor insane. The other beowolves joined in. It was almost like they were cheering for their new leader. The entire forest was consumed in an orchestra of demonic hilarity.

This was what the thrill of victory felt like.

I don't know what tomorrow will bring me. I don't know what will become of me in the distant future to come. I don't even know what exactly my ability is capable of.

But that's the adventure of life; the passing of days' unknown.

There was work to be done tomorrow. I have a responsibility now. After all, for all intents and purposes, I am . . .

 _ **For you are. . .**_

The Alpha.

 **PROLOGUE END**


	4. Command And Conquer

**Hello again people. Congratz, this fic just broke the 200 followers point. I would like to thank everyone who's been following/ favouriting, especially to those who put in motivating reviews! Let's go!**

* * *

" _ **My theory of characterization is basically this: Put some dirt on a hero, and put some sunshine on the villain, one brush stroke of beauty on the villain."**_

 **\- Justin Cronin**

The distant cry of the rooster echoed in the distance. The sun was beginning to rise from its slumber and soon the rest of humanity would too. Slowly but surely Remnant's inhabitants would begin their day.

Everyone begins their day differently. Some begrudgingly leave to rejoin the workforce while others do nothing at all. Every morning has different degrees of importance for everyone. Somewhere in the thick forests of Remnant was a peculiar soul bound in unique circumstances. Their morning routine was different from the rest of humanity, for this one had to ensure the maintenance of a particularly large of group of somewhat _violent individuals_. A being, who, just recently was handed the white torch to lead the others down their bloody reality. But the young soul took on the forced responsibility without a shred of doubt. For the thirst of victory – an unachievable victory through the eyes of any sane person – was the very spirit that fueled this soul's will to live. The reason to continue its existence.

But there was another individual. A smaller, more honest, soul, whose morning routine was … different from the rest of humanity.

Orange light began to seep into the dark room through the window curtain. It was a simple room consisting of a bed, a crowded study desk, and a chest containing an assortment of odd tools. And like an invisible sensor that had detected the faintest hint of light, the Hero awoke.

Well… _she_ would like to believe that was the case but the alarm clock blaring its cacophony of gears and chimes would tell a completely different story for her awakening. A swift movement with her arm was all it took to silence the small piece of clockwork that rested on top of her desk. It was a habit at this point; the Hero no longer needed an alarm to arise at the crack of dawn. No, this clock was part of her training! It was meant to test her will-power against the evil clutches of an evil entity known as "sleep"!

She kicked the nefarious blanket off her bed and stood in a triumphant pose. Hah! Once again, the Hero has bested you! Sleep wasn't needed for heroes such as herself, there were too many things to accomplish during the day! " _Sleep is important, you won't grow up unless you get enough rest for a girl your age."_ Bah! They were lies the moment the class teacher explained that to her. That old man was a villain, an agent of darkness stunting her heroic growth!

She shifted her pose into something more grand and dramatic. Her arms covered her chest, an open left hand covering half her face. Her free eye glistened in the light. Heroic pose #29. ' _Ho ho ho, I won't fall for such a simple trick. A true hero doesn't rest for the righteousness of justice is enough to sustain me! And milk, especially milk!'_ her thoughts resonated her very soul. ' _I am the symbol of peace, the fated hero to save all of Remnant, a huntress who will– WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

She lost her balance and came crashing onto the oak floor from her bed. The evil blanket had struck from below. Such an underhanded tactic! As expected from such a worthy adversary. Hands found themselves covering her mouth to suppress her pained cries. A worthy adversary indeed.

Big sis' would kill her if she woke her up at this hour of the day. Being in the room across from hers didn't really improve the situation either. She had to act quickly. The Hero scrambled to her closet to change out of her pyjamas and into her adventure clothes – a plain white-hoodie and black shorts. She pulled out her trusty sword from the chest and sheathed it beside her hip. A satisfying smile found itself on her face as she struck another heroic pose in front of the mirror. Ah, all she needed now was the white table cloth – _cape_! Ahem, all she needed was her _cape_ to complete the look.

 _Sigh,_ why did sis' have to scold her? It wasn't her fault she accidentally tripped on that mud puddle. How was she supposed to know that it was supposed to rain yesterday? She couldn't wait to have it back clean and repaired!

She flicked a piece of red and black hair away from her face. She grimaced a bit at the sight of her bed-hair. Her black shoulder-length hair was so dishevelled that she could make out the red tints sticking out with ease. She huffed at her sister's advice, ' _you really should take better care of your hair, sister. A warrior should look beautiful when they're on the battlefield.'_ The Hero loved her older sister, a fantastic role model. But there were times she questioned her wisdom. What did beauty have to do with being a hero? _Pft,_ it was just so much work to brush her hair every day. She had no idea how big sis' could be so strong while carefully maintaining her golden hair as well. A secret technique maybe?

No matter! She was going to continue her heroic training with or without her cape!

The Hero traversed the two-story log cabin on her tip-toes, being careful not to wake anyone up until she got to the front door. She grinned at her stealth abilities while she tied the laces of her black boots. Today she was going to travel a bit further away from the village. Sis' had warned her to stay within the perimeter, else she meets a terrible end by the claws of monsters. But she wasn't scared, not one bit! She was a hero after all. Heroes aren't supposed to be afraid.

Being trapped in the safety of the village was so boring! The Hero wanted an adventure, no matter how small it would be.

The wooden door opened with a quiet click, a breath of fresh air and the scent of morning dew drifting past her. It'd be a quick run. A little exploration and sight seeing, that's all. She'd be fine – what could a couple of beowolves do against someone as great as her?

The white hood fell over her head, a welcoming warmth around the tip of her ears. The Hero stepped from the home into sunlight, smiling. She would be back by lunch. No one would even notice she left.

She felt a pinch. It was minuscule at best, hardly noticeable. Her smile quivered for a second before she forced it back to its natural state of cheerfulness. She kept walking towards the edge of the forest, past the perimeter; past the safe zone.

 _Not like they would care in the first place._

* * *

 **("Alpha" POV)**

Would that damn rooster shut up already?

God, I hated mornings.

I am not a morning person. I will never be a morning person. I wasn't in my past life. What makes you think I'll start now? You know, if I ever find that bird I'm more than inclined to sink my teeth into its neck. I don't even care my small fangs have no effect – it's about sending a message dammit!

A yawn was released as I stretched my body. The rest of the pack was beginning to stir as well. The _majority_ anyways. Soon after I became the Alpha of the beowolf pack I made sure to do an _inventory_ _check_. I counted each member and grouped them up based on their age. I have no idea what their exact ages are if that's what you're thinking; I just make assumptions based on the amount of bone protruding out from their bodies. Why an inventory check? Well, I need to keep my position of social power in check after all. The older beowolves are usually my priority targets these days. No sense in getting killed by a challenging beowolf in a duel for dominance when I still have the body of a pup.

What? You think that just because I'm the Alpha means I'm going to stop absorbing more Essence off dead Grimm?

 _~ Please~_ nothing has changed.

My sudden role in leadership just means that my serial killings are now nightly executions.

I took a quick glance around the territory. For such a large amount of beowolves all in one location, this place sure seemed empty. Of course, it felt empty, I was the one who was doing the _cleaning_ after all. A seed of worry was planted in my thoughts. Now that I think about it, if I kept this up, there won't be a pack left to lead. What would safety in numbers mean then? Shit, how am I supposed to farm for Essence then?

So I guess that's my new problem on the daily agenda: finding a way to increase my pack population. Damn it, it's times like this where I wish I didn't spend my time lazing around all day! I should have paid more attention to the previous Alpha's activities. How did Skull Face do it?

I took in a gulp of cool air and then I barked.

 **Come.**

Five beowolves answered my call.

I grinned in amusement. That never gets old. I've made considerate progress in learning my random ability. It didn't only give me the ability to absorb dead Grimm and slowly evolve. (Like damn, could it be any slower? How many do I need to kill to grow an inch?!) I soon discovered a few days after my promotion that I also had the ability to control Grimm as well.

Now I'm sure most reincarnated people would jump on the bandwagon and call this ability overpowered. Don't get me wrong here, I whole-heartily would follow too. There's just one slight _problem_ I encountered when I tried to use it. I can't _exactly_ control the whole pack. Any beowolf among my pack will obey my commands, that much I've already confirmed through my experimentation trials. The problem here was that my commands had a certain extent in relation to the number of beowolves that would obey me. Like I said, only five heard my command; the rest of the pack remained ignorant.

Sound wasn't the problem either. I don't need to bark to be heard. I could squeak like a mouse if I wanted and they would still obey me. All I had to do was put the thought of intent behind my voice and they would listen and follow the command.

That was another problem. The commands themselves were limited to only one word. Sometimes two if I'm lucky. Stuff like " _move here, go there, stop, play dead" (I'm still working on the last part)._

I've come to learn that was how I became victorious against Skull Face. Jagger Jaw's bone impaled in its neck was the final nail in the coffin for the old Alpha's life. It was going to die, but not instantly like I expected.

" _I roared at the advancing grimm, not caring how pathetic my voice sounded, with a single message that had consumed my mind._

 _ **Die.**_

 _The beast unexpectedly stumbled, losing its footing and came crashing down."_

That command was the dreaded hammer that pushed the nail in. What a haunting memory. My breathing becomes uneasy just thinking about it. That could have been the end of me had I not had an emotional breakdown.

Unfortunately for me, that was the only time I was able to successfully execute that command. The other Grimm just stare at me mindlessly when I tell them to commit suicide. Ah, how easy my life would become if it were that simple! More experimentation was required.

I've decided for the time being to call this phenomenon _Authority-with-a-capital-A._

Progress was progress I suppose. Before, I was only capable of commanding two beowolves. Fast forward a month of collecting Essence and I found myself of controlling five. Absorbing Essence would increase my Authority and by extension the number of Grimm I could control. Unfortunately, aside from the skull plating on my head, no evolutions have occurred since.

Out of the five, I summoned, only one beowolf lacked bone plating. It didn't matter, I suppose. They were meant to act as my security detail/ cannon fodder rather than a hunting pack.

Leading a pack of beasts was a complicated situation. It wasn't hard nor easy so to speak. I can't command the entire pack to stop eating humans given my current level of Authority. Thus, I tend to see beowolves returning here with a bloody prize between their teeth. It wasn't as bad as before though. Skull Face was an individual who lead actively. I for one believed that passive leadership and letting my members act when they felt like it was the way to go. Ever since I became Alpha the mortality rate of humans has decreased. I can't say much about the mortality rate of my pack members, however. _I really should investigate the cause of our decrease in population._

We walked towards the edge of the territory; the hunt for Grimm had begun.

* * *

How long have we been walking? Couldn't have been too long considering the sun was still out. Was I in one of those situations where my body has felt three-hour passing by when in reality only one hour had gone by? I hope not, that would suck.

Where were the grimm? All I've seen so far were birds and the occasional deer. These monsters make up the majority of this world, right? So why is it that I have yet to encounter another one?! C'mon give me something here fate!

" **Grrr…** " one of older beowolves snarled from behind. I glared back. What, are you feeling impatient? Well, I'm sorry if my small body prevents me from running at your speed. No matter how I look at it, this is _your_ fault. If your Essence was actually worth something, then maybe we wouldn't have to walk in the first place! Geez, pack members these days, no respect for their perfectly sane Alpha.

After travelling for a few more moments, the accumulating dryness in my mouth became unbearable to the point where I believed I had the entire continent of Vacuo on my tongue. Okay, that was an over exaggeration; I've never even been there. My ears twitched, picking up the sound of flowing water nearby. I can afford to make a detour for a quick drink.

The sound of the river became more clear with each step I took. I couldn't wait to get rid of – oh. I let out a faint breath, ordering my followers to stay behind. We remained hidden, using the overgrowth of leaves and bark as our cloak. Red eyes stared at the figure by the riverside.

Drinking out of the river was another beowolf. It was bigger than I last remembered. Good on you putting that extra weight buddy. The spear-like spines that grew out of its arms and back side had grown considerably and if I squinted I could pick out the small white edges of new bone forming. The beowolf raised its head, droplets of water ran down from its reinforced jaw. A black mist escaped from its mouth. But the most distinguishing characteristic that caught my eye was the scar that was displayed above a set of ribs. A set that was missing a single piece.

Nice to see you again Jagger Jaw, what have you been doing these days?

I was half-expecting the savage creature to rear its head to me and engage in a staring contest. Instead, Jagger Jaw heads off to an unknown location opposite to the river's flow. I keep a distance and follow the beowolf, making sure to use the environment as my cover. For all I know, it could just be wandering in search of prey. But my situation wasn't far from the same either. So I'll follow you Jagger Jaw, we'll wander together to wherever you're going.

We travelled through a small passing over a hill. The sound of wildlife became deaf in my ears with each passing second. The warning signs of dread and isolation started to become more apparent. It was a similar feeling when I was carried to Skull Face's territory. The feeling of electricity flowed through me when I noticed the signs of struggle. Slash marks ingrained in bark, dried blotches of blood everywhere like graffiti, and the lingering negative emotions that hung in the air like a mist. Where were you going Jagger Jaw?

I stop my movements and stared into the distance. I saw beowolves. A whole congregation of them in an open area similar to my territory. Jagger Jaw walked with an air of supremacy as he approached the centre. All eyes, all the attention, were on this old grimm. Silence flooded my surroundings. It slammed its massive claw into the ground, bits of dirt and stone soaring into the air. And then it roared with the same ferocity when it fought Skull Face. A strong wind blew by; the branches around me shook. The shockwave echoed throughout my eardrums. My eyes widened. They were bowing. The beowolves were bowing to Jagger Jaw. Jagger Jaw was an Alpha beowolf. It had its own pack.

When the hell did that happen?

I regained my composure, letting out a long exhale.

. . . Well, I guess it doesn't matter, does it?

I gave a quick glance from behind. The beowolves – _my beowolves_ – stared at the scene but made no move to obey the other Alpha. Smart idea for mindless things. They knew who their _true_ leader was.

Excitement built up in me, a warm sensation yearning for release. I couldn't help but grin at the sight, my tail wagging left and right in anticipation of what was to come next.

I've learned from Skull Face that a simple piece of bone speared into your neck won't end you so easily. Given your savage nature, you would wake up and try to tear my head off once I impaled you in your sleep. So, I won't kill you in your sleep. I won't even kill you in the darkness of night.

You are going to die with the entire sky as my witness.

I turned back towards my territory, the five beowolves followed with an unspoken command. There were a couple things I needed to prepare first.

I will kill you Jagger Jaw.

I will absorb the glorious Essence off your corpse.

I will take every single member of your pack as my own.

* * *

The afternoon was nice today. Clear skies, gentle breeze, warm sun. The perfect weather to have a picnic. The weirdest weather to have a duel to the death among creatures of Grimm, however. Rain and thunder would have made the setting just perfect. But what can you do? Life is unpredictable like that; I'm practically a living example.

I approached Jagger Jaw's territory with my head in the air. I could feel their eyes directed at me with each passing step. Burn my pathetically small form into your memories because that's going to be your new leader soon.

Not a minute had passed for I was graced with the other Alpha's appearance. Well, it was more like leaping in front of me out of nowhere. We engaged in a staring contest but it felt different from last time. A soon-to-be bloody exchange between Alphas. It leaned closer to my face. There was a sense of disbelief held behind Jagger Jaw's eyes. It bared its fangs at me, growling with a fury that I was all too familiar with. Somehow it knew I was the Alpha of my pack and that really seemed to piss it off. I'd be pissed too if a pup got the role of leadership from the beowolf that kicked my ass and humiliated me in front of a crowd. There was no curiosity behind that bloody gaze, only the desire to challenge.

My heart was racing with anticipation, the beating in my chest drowned out all the noise around me. Would I call this act of challenging another beowolf – who clearly was experienced in the art of cold slaughter – stupid on my part? Definitely. Did I suddenly regret this decision? Fifty-fifty.

Jagger Jaw gave me a quick snarl. It turned and moved a few feet back from my position. My eyes darted in all directions, noticing the crowd of my soon-to-be followers. Gosh, I wonder what was going through their heads at this bizarre scene: An old beowolf against a pup. I looked at two random beowolves and tried to imagine their conversation.

" _Hey."_

"… _Yeah?"_

" _You ever wonder why we're here?"_

Nevermind, it's impossible to imagine how mindless killers talk to each other!

It moved to the opposite end. Hard soil and stone were effortlessly destroyed as it made claw marks on the ground. It raised its head into the sky and let out a bellowing roar. The other beowolves raised their heads and howled in response. I simply sat there, tilting my head. Are you trying to intimidate me or show off your authority?

I got into a ready position and waited. You're going to strike first Jagger Jaw, we both know it. It's in your nature to do so and I'm anticipating it. It roared one more time before pouncing towards me with a claw raised and ready to crush me. I jumped back to avoid the killing blow – actually, given my current body, I'm certain that any blow would kill me. Jagger Jaw's eyes flared at its failed attempt. Déjà vu, huh? I let out an unsteady breath. Fuck, I'm shaking. My body was shivering, my legs were trembling at Jagger Jaw's aura of death. God, you don't have to remind me. I'm scared, anyone would be if they were in my situation! Why couldn't it have been the other way around?!

Jagger Jaw rushed at me again preparing a low sweep with its arm. I back up once more but the tip of its brutal claws managed to graze my arm. It stung like hell, but it was just a flesh wound. If nothing broke, I had a chance to act. I'm expecting Jagger Jaw to come at again but it doesn't to my surprise. It growled as if it was demanding that I fought back. Me? Fight back in this body?

I distanced myself further with slow steps, expecting the beowolf to strike once more. But Jagger Jaw just stands there in silent fury. Well, it looks like Skull Face taught you a lesson on self-restraint. I snarled at my opponent in the same mocking fashion Skull Face did when they fought against each other. Its ears twitched. The growling grew fiercer. Its face slowly morphed back into its original state of uncontrolled ferocity. The raging storm in its eyes returned with a vengeance. Its thunderous cry crackled through my ears and I felt my blood freeze from the aftershock. _'Screw strategy! I'm going primal on your ass!'_ was probably the message.

Phase 1: Put Jagger Jaw into a state of rage.

Check.

Phase 2 of the plan?

" **ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH"**

Run away!

I blasted straight through the feet of the gathering crowd. Jagger Jaw's cries for murder didn't let up for a single second and I could hear bodies being flung from behind me. Ah, the benefits of being small!

I ran back into the forestry. Despite having an endless supply of stamina, I could hear my gasping breath in the madness of being chased down by Jagger Jaw. I moved in a zig-zag fashion. Not only because I had to manoeuvre through every obstacle in my way but also as my cover to disrupt my pursuer's line of sight. My heart was beating frantically with the dissonance of destruction rapidly approaching me: the grinding of claw and dirt, the snapping of trees, the crushing of stone. The vicious demand for my blood; Jagger Jaw's thrill of the hunt.

Almost there.

I could hear it.

The babbling and gurgling to free-flowing water.

Just need to get to the river – OH SHIT!

Jagger Jaw split the tree beside me like a hurled spear. It dug its claws through the terrain to regain traction. Damn it, it caught up to me! Adrenaline production increased, I ran even faster towards my destination. For a brief sense of time, I lost my reasoning; I started to panic. My lower ankle cried out when I stumbled through an exposed tree root that I could have avoided with ease. But I ignored the pain, I pushed on. I ran through a log under an utterly foolish belief that I would be protected. The bark was shattered into pieces from behind. The ground shook beneath me with my body and mind replicating the same struggle.

Need to keep running.

There it was!

I ran out into the uncluttered riverside, the unrestricted daylight causes my eyes to flinch. The crushing of gravel was what I focused on instead of the thing from behind. Needed to focus. Stop panicking. I stopped in front of the river. The thought of jumping in and letting the current take me anywhere but here was a very tempting offer. But the thought to reaping all that Essence? That was the offer I decided upon.

" **Grrrrrrrrrrr** ". Jagger Jaw emerged out of the wild maze, each deliberate step causing my heart to skip a beat. It glared at me with crimson. There was no running left for me. It licked its teeth at the thought of my impending doom. But I faced the other Alpha with an unexpected expression, something it would never have anticipated. An expression without fear or panicked resistance. I bared my tiny fangs, grinning at my opponent.

In front of me was an Alpha beowolf who survived by sheer violence, not by self-preservation like my old leader. Behind me was the river, flowing water down an unknown path. But even further than that, just on the other side? Well. . .

A wall of red orbs stared at Jagger Jaw.

It took a damn long time to organize them but it was well worth it. Seriously, I would order five to follow and then order them to wait here. I would rush back, pick up five more, and order them to wait. Over and over like an endless cycle. Thank god for unlimited stamina.

I howled into the sun. Five beowolves beckoned my call. They crossed the river without difficulty. They rushed at my enemy with one purpose, one order burned into their very being that had to be fulfilled. My command was eternal and brought them to do something that went against the natural order among monsters.

 **Kill.**

Jagger Jaw broke into a frenzy when a younger one bit into its hind leg. It roared, decapitating its attacker with a single slash. I could have absorbed that one if I was closer, but I'm not crazy. Skull Face taught me a thing or two about self-preservation when it came down to the situations against experienced grimm. I sat there staring at the ensuing chaos.

Jagger Jaw easily dispatched two more but the remaining two pounced at it, staggering its balance. It cried out, crushing the entire head of a beowolf with one mighty chomp. The last one would meet its end. I expected as much. I didn't assemble a small army here after all. I howled again, summoning five more beowolves to join in the slaughter. My ability to control five beowolves was a misconception. I could _order_ five, meaning that after I assigned the first five my order, I could order another set while the first group attended to their mission.

Quality over quantity against quantity over quality. To be honest, both phrases held true to me. It was the situation itself that truly mattered in the end.

They all charged, throwing their bodies at certain death. The Alpha clawed the last beowolf off its body. It met its attackers head on, not giving a damn about the concept of dodging. It swung its claws with no sign of rest. It ripped them apart like paper. But for every two that Jagger Jaw would cut into pieces, five more would replace them. Though I must admit, my beowolves have absolutely no sign of intelligence what so ever. Some tried to strike from behind but that only resulted in them being impaled from Jagger Jaw's spines. Oh well, temporary extra weight on the enemy.

Soon, the Alpha found itself overwhelmed. It struggled immensely to maintain its footing. But when you have over a dozen live beowolf fangs sunk into your body, it was kind of hard to do so. Christ, I couldn't even see its body anymore with my pack members forming a lethal mosh pit around it. Jagger Jaw thrashed about, trying to break free. But it couldn't. It couldn't free itself from being swarmed. No matter how desperate or violent its thrashing became. No matter how loud it roared, it was in a doomed situation.

I gave a quick glance behind me. Huh? Jagger Jaw you really are a work of blood-spattered art. You've made me waste three-quarters of my battalion just to hold you back.

Jagger Jaw stared directly at me and cried out. ' _Where is your honor?'_ I interpreted. The moment was so rich, so hysterical, that I couldn't help but cackle in front of my enemy!

Honor? What's that?

You think I give a damn about something so meaningless? That I would fight against you fairly? Life is cruel and unfair, why should I handicap myself even further by chaining myself down with some _moral code_ in combat? A duel to the death for crying out loud!

 _We're beowolves. Creatures of Grimm. Monsters that are hunted down and slaughtered every single day!_

I am not going to die by the end of some hunter's blade.

My rebirth dealt me a pretty shitty hand. But that's okay. Really, it truly was. Do you want to know why?

My laughter ceased.

 _Because I'll take your entire hand and add it to my own deck. Just like I did with Skull Face and the rest of your kind._

I stared straight into the rampant storm behind Jagger Jaw's bloody eyes. Ah, what a refreshing time to have a staring contest! I tilted my head. Answer me Jagger Jaw, what do you see behind my eyes? Fear? Anger? Vengeance? Because if I stared at my reflection right now, I'd be damn sure that it was victory staring back at me!

Black smoke escaped out of its mouth. With a hell raising cry, Jagger Jaw, against all odds, charged at me. A slow push, really. But I wonder what will kill you first: my beowolves gnawing at your flesh and bone or your stupid determination?

One step.

Two Steps.

Three steps.

 _Only a couple more to go, you can do it!_

It stopped pushing towards me after the sixth step. Jagger Jaw, have you run out of steam? You okay buddy? You look deathly exhausted. Your constant wailing for my death seems to have been replaced with rampant gasps for air. Goodness, from the way you're trembling I bet you can barely lift your head, let alone stand at this point! I wonder how much will power you're exerting on yourself to keep that lone crimson eye directed at me?

Here, I'll help you out.

I walked towards the Alpha until I'm sitting just a foot away. A suicidal and arrogant act, I'm aware. But I'm overflowing with a sense of confidence – so who cares? I sure didn't! It growled at my presence. I replied with another curious head tilt. I'm giving you a once in a lifetime opportunity here. Don't waste it. Jagger Jaw sluggishly leaned forward, its trademark armoured maw ready to crush my skull. The unsteadiness of its breathing grew even worse with every passing second. C'mon you're closer than ever now! Don't you want to savour the feeling of victory against the one who challenged you? The one who killed your rival?

Its fangs, soaked in the blood of my pack, were an inch away from me. But it was at that moment that I could no longer detect its breath. Not even a faint whisper. Its body went limp, its head fell. Jagger Jaw was set ablaze by an invisible fire. Ashes of both the Alpha and my fallen pack members ascended into the air and made their way towards me. The remaining beowolves broke away from the dead, forming a small circle around me. I absorbed all their Essence, down to the single drop of ash. I let out a slow breath as the ecstasy overtook me.

I inhaled fresh air once the bliss ended abruptly. I needed that; I haven't had that good of a meal since Skull Face. Judging from the how my beowolves were staring down at me, I can say that once again . . sadly . . . I didn't grow. I ran to the river in hopes that I could catch a glimpse of any growth in armour, specifically around my jaw line.

. . . Are you kidding me?

After all the time and resources invested and I get nothing?!

" **Grrrrrrr**." I bit back my tongue. Control yourself, don't throw a tantrum.

I _felt_ stronger.

What made my blood boil was that I didn't _look_ stronger.

I sighed.

Patience tasted extremely bitter. But the sweet aftertaste would be well worth it in the end.

I headed towards Jagger Jaw's territory. It was time to reap the rewards of my victory and claim what was mine. They will bow to their new leader. And then we will drown the entire forest in our celebratory chanting. I could practically hear the laughter echoing through my mind!

Those poor mindless beasts were destined to have the life snuffed out of them in their sleep. No one would even notice if one of their own disappeared overnight.

I grinned at the thought.

 _Not like anyone cared about these monsters in the first place._


	5. The Little Unorthodox Hero

**GUESS WHOSE WORD DOCUMENT GOT CORUPTED – MY WORD DOCUMENT GOT CORUPTED! GUESS WHO SAID FUCK IT AND LOST MOTIVATION?! IT WAS ME – THE AUTHOR: REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE**

* * *

The Hero was lost.

Not the kind of "lost" where one had some internal struggle of crippling hopelessness. She was a hero after all, and a hero's inner path was as clear as the sky when they saved the day. She was, well . . . physically lost.

It was supposed to be a quick run. A little sightseeing and that would be it. She'd return to the village by lunch and no one would have noticed. That was what was supposed to happen. Unfortunately, her plans have never been that simple. Less so than successful in that manner.

She let out a sigh after ducking through another low tree branch. She was lost in this thick maze of green and oak. It was a funny thought when she took her first step past the village's perimeter. _"Me? The Hero? Getting lost in some forest? Pfft what a joke, heroes never get lost! The path of glory is what guides me!"_

" **Grrrrrrrr…"**

But now? It was an accepted fact at this point that the Hero had no idea how to get back home. She knew that, the world knew that, and of course, her _stomach_ knew that. "Ooooh, why did I think that it would be a great idea to skip out on breakfast today?" she placed her hands over her stomach, biting her lip to trudge through the hungering pain.

Big sis' was definitely going to scold her. Urgh, the Hero absolutely hated when she did that. She could already see the incoming disaster: big sis' hair would practically ignite into flames while yelling at her for doing something so "careless and stupid." Her face slowly shifted into a frown at the imagined scenario. She wasn't a child anymore. She was 14 for crying out loud! She was totally mature to make the right decisions.

' _I'm technically a teenager now! That's supposed to be the time where I'm supposed to be caught up in some cool adventure and save the world! People who are destined to save the world shouldn't be scolded!'_

Small beams of afternoon light peered through the overhead of leaves and bark, breathing some life into her lonely surroundings. She moved without any sense of direction. An eerie silence lingered in the air around her. The sounds of animal life practically seemed non-existent. Not even a single wind would brush past her. The crushing of dead leaves beneath her was the only thing she could hear. A familiar feeling whispered into her ears and she instinctively placed her left hand on the hilt of her sword by her waist.

'… _But I wouldn't mind being yelled at if it means getting home safe and sound.'_ Her frown broke with another exhausted sigh.

If she could just find the pathway, then returning to the village would be a simple walk. Was she even going in the right direction? What if she was going farther away? Or worse, what if she was going around in circles this whole time?!

Her movement ceased and she proceeded to vigorously inspect a nearby tree. _'Did I already pass you? Hmm, if I did pass you I would have remembered by now. But what if I did pass you and I forgot? Why do trees have to look so similar to each other!?'_

She brought her hand over her stomach again to suppress another groan. She needed something to eat. This hunger was getting to her head. Should she go pick some berries? She shook her head a second later, dismissing the thought. No, that was a terrible and desperate idea. Sis' told her to never eat anything in the wild unless she wanted to cough her lungs up from the poison. Her skin shivered at the disturbing imagery.

The Hero kept walking in a straight line until the melody of flowing water graced a gentle tone in her ears. It was faint, barely audible, but hope began to well up from within. Her pacing increased and a small smile formed at the corner of her lips. A quick drink from the river should ease her stomach's demand for food. This was obviously a sign! Fate was looking out for the Hero! It wants her – no it _needs_ her alive. After all, how else was she going to save the world if her story ended here?

Her hands stung a bit from the prickly twigs and rough plants as she tore away at shrub blocking her path. She let out a sigh of gratitude as she peeked her head out from the bush. The rich river water was just a couple steps in front her now. This was fantastic! This river was connected to her village. All she had to do now was follow the current upstream and she'd be home! She could practically feel her body's energy restoring itself from just looking at it –

" **GARRRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHH"**

Her blood froze at the loud cry and she noticed that she was left gasping for air from the aftershock. God, she forgot to breathe for the entire duration. The cawing of birds flying away and the rustling of branches soon filled her ears. She wrapped her arms around her body; she was shaking uncontrollably. Hah, her legs felt wobbly as jelly but stiff as an iceberg at the same time. The cover of bushes and trees allowed a small gentle warmth to wash over her with relief. J-Just what was that unholy screech?

She could still hear it. The roaring, that awful ear-splitting roaring repeating over and over like some cruel never-ending echo. It was nearby from where she was standing; the vibrations that shook the earth beneath her feet was the dead giveaway. Silver eyes stared into the distance and her heart stopped at the sight.

Grimm.

The countless stories of heroes she had read allowed her to quickly discern the classification: beowolves. A whole group of them by the riverbank. What caught her attention was the largest beowolf amongst them whose head was aimed towards the sky releasing its piercing roars. The most distinct feature she could make out was reinforced bone plating encasing its jaw. What made this scene more horrifying wasn't the sheer ferocity that this creature emitted but what the other beowolves were doing to it. She just couldn't comprehend it!

They… they were killing it, this _giant_. They surrounded the creature with their fangs and claws sunk into its entire body. Upon squinting, she realized this bone-jawed beowolf was trying to break free from its deadly restraints - thrashing about with blood-lusted fury and desperation. The entire event felt like an eternity. It continued to struggle and cry out but it just couldn't break free. Her eyes widened when the giant trudged itself forward despite have a dozen beowolves latched on to it. Even if it was a monster the Hero couldn't help but feel amazement at the sheer willpower to move forward against impossible odds.

But then it stopped moving. It lowered its head, but with her current line of sight she couldn't make out what it was reaching for. The beowolves holding it down suddenly dispersed and made a larger circle around the giant. The faded black smoke ascending in the air…it finally died. What a bizarre bonfire.

Why was it heading towards the river? Did it want a drink or something? Wait, do creatures of Grimm even need water? That doesn't make sense at all. Bah, this entire thing didn't make sense at all! Grimm don't kill other grimm, they're supposed to kill humans! They're the villains of this world. They're supposed to kill people like her, the heroes!

The beowolves dispersed from their gathering and began disappearing back into the forest. She gulped. Why couldn't they have crossed the river? The thicket was just as the same over there as it was here! This wasn't fair at all! Her breaths became shorter to the point where she felt as if she was choking. They were going to find her, weren't they? She recalled her studies – how the creatures of Grimm were drawn to negative emotions like a moth to a flame. Any moment now. Those beowolves were going to rush at her in an instant and that would be it. She'd be dead all because of her fea- her eyes shut.

She bent over and let out all the air in her body with a mighty exhale. Her arms hung lifeless as her mind forced every muscle in her body to do the same. She opened her eyes, a burning dream reignited from within. With one arm fixed on the hilt of her sword and the other outstretched into the sky, she put on a radiant smile that freed her from her internal conflict.

" _Perfect execution of heroic pose #12"_ the Hero inwardly squealed. ' _HA what is the concept of FEAR to someone as heroic as me! I can totally take those villains on! …Even if I haven't killed one yet… or actually had a chance to fight one … and not to mention I'm last place in combat - no bad thoughts! Bad!'_

She pinched her cheek. Now was the time to focus!

Moving up the river current could be risky since the Grimm could be nearby that area. Even if she took the risk, she had no idea how long she would have to walk before she got home. And that wasn't even taking into consideration of possible obstacles along the path either. Her only option now was to find the gravel trail hidden somewhere in this frustrating forest.

Shouldn't be too hard!

She steeled her resolve with a gulp and turned back into the maze.

The stinging sensation of tearing away prickly branches and forcing her body through thick shrubbery and massive weeds didn't faze her at this point in time. She climbed over canopies and ancient roots raised from the natural dirt without any audible complaint or frustration. Moving around them was wasted time. _'Every second counts once your life is in danger sister, don't forget that.'_ She recalled big sis' one of many pieces of wisdom.

' _Stupid nature!'_

Of course, her thoughts were an entirely different story.

The gentle silence around her was both a blessing and a curse. The Hero was uncertain if a shadow of danger loomed over her or not. She paid attention to her surroundings; eyes alert and actively darting from one place to another.

Her heart stopped, a quiet gasp escaped from her lips at the sound of something snapping. Relief washed over her when she looked down to see her boot over a crushed twig. She let out a small chuckle on how something so small coul-

A distant howl filled her ears with a sense of dread.

Her legs broke into a mad sprint. She felt it – this unknown force yelling in her mind that they found her. That they knew she was in this forest. It didn't make sense, nor did she bother to find any reason to make it sensible either. Perhaps it was her heroic instincts? No, it doesn't matter. All that mattered was getting home. Being scolded by her sister seemed like a reward more than a punishment right now.

Twigs and needle-like leaves assaulted her face as she desperately tried to control the chaos clouding her thoughts. Where could she run to? The village? She didn't know where that was. She didn't even know if she was close to the trail or not!

She tripped.

A sharp burning seared through her right leg as she fell on dirt. Frustration flooded in as if an invisible hand was crushing her chest. She absorbed the feeling, bit back the pain, then got up and continued to run.

Another howl, it still sounded far away…but at the same time, it was the only thing she could hear.

Her voice, breathless and sporadic, was probably a beautiful chorus to their ears.

Ten seconds passed, then twenty, then thirty. The cries of monsters are louder than ever now. Her lungs were set ablaze and the desire to collapse and give in to the feeling of drowning screamed in her mind. A dull aching around her leg beat at her like a hammer to a nail every time she took a step.

A deathly snarl surprised her from the right. Her legs came to a complete stop a couple feet away from the imposing obstacle that had leapt in front of her. She caught her breath. They caught up to her. Worse, they cut her off!

The beowolf leaned forward on all fours with its bared teeth as it prepared to pounce. It released a low growl directed at her as if it was begging to hear her last words. The ghostly bone plating over its head made it even more intimidating. Gods, it was like staring into the face of the Reaper.

Desperation clawed at her mind. She wanted to scream out for help. She wanted her sister to rescue her like the heroes from the fairy tales. She wanted to live!

"A-ah…" And the only thing that came out of her pathetic mouth was a forced yelp.

 _ **ARRRGGGGGHHHHH**_

Oh.

She forgot that there were others. They usually hunted in a pack, right? Hah, as if one wasn't enough. They were going to overwhelm her like they did to that other beowolf.

And just as the grimm advanced at her, two shadowy figures burst from the trees and sent the monster crashing to the side.

"W-What?" She took a step back from the scene. It was happening again. Just like before. T-There were two beowolves gnawing into the first one. This doesn't make any sense! Why were they fighting each other? _Why did they save her?_

Another thunderous cry sent her back into reality.

No time to dwell on it. She took the opportunity presented before her and sent her feet back into motion. Her eyes winced from the roars behind her. Tears began to accumulate all over her clothing as branches cut into her.

 _Don't look back._

She stumbled briefly into a ducking motion, narrowly avoiding the incoming beowolf that had pounced from the side.

 _Don't hesitate._

And just as her new enemy was about to give chase, more roars erupted followed by a loud crash and a cry of pain from the beowolf.

 _Run._

A flash of light beamed in the path in front of her. It was a small feeling. The thought of escaping paraded in her distorted mind. A feeling a hope.

But it was replaced with dread when an aerial root latched onto her foot, sending her face first into a sea of dirt and gravel. She yanked her foot free and tried to get up. It was at that moment the Hero realized where she was.

She made it! The pathway to _Argentum_!

But just before she could continue any further, one of her pursuers leapt in front of her, blocking the road with its hulking form. She turned the other way but was met with the same result. Both sides of the path were blocked off. Then a third beowolf appeared, then a fourth, and a fifth – the cold realization of being surrounded froze her entire body.

The grimm haven't attacked yet. They circled around her, inspecting their prize.

Out of pure desperation, she pulled out her sword. But the monsters weren't fazed by her act of intimidation. They didn't even seem to give her weapon a glance at all. A small voice in the back of her mind agreed as well. Despite having both hands clamped over the leather hilt, the blade was unsteady. Its sporadic motions only reflected her fear of what to come.

"S-Stay back! I-I'm warning you! I'll c-cut you all down if you a-attack me!" She brought out all the strength to her voice with a brave mask over her face.

 _Pathetic threats from a pathetic hero._

Her entire body was locked in place. Her breathing was unsteady and uncontrolled. Was this it? Was this the end of her tale…?

No…no…no…no no no no!

This wasn't how it was supposed to go!

She was supposed to be _The Hero_! The one who would slay these monsters! The one who would save the day!

T-The one with the happy ending.

 _It's not fair! Why her?! She didn't deserve this!_

' _I…I still have so much to do. Why did this have to happen?...'_ She sealed her silver eyes shut. The darkness was a familiar and comforting sight compared to reality. ' _…Would sis' be angry with me? Disappointed? Sad? Would she miss me? W-Would anyone miss me?'_

 **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHH**

"No!" She cried out, dropping the sword onto the ground. Her thoughts were cut off, leaving behind only one comprehendible message that resonated to her very soul.

" **I don't want to die!"**

 _BARK_

What?

 _BARK BARK BARK_

Was that a dog barking just then? It was high pitched with a hint of youth in the tone. A puppy? No, this was probably her mind playing tricks on her. What a cruel joke.

The barking continued even after her deduction. Reluctant growling approached her from every direction soon after. What's happening right now? She gulped, creaking one eye open.

…

Her eye widened. Then it blinked once to make sure this wasn't a trick. Now both eyes were open and were furiously blinking to ensure her sanity hadn't left her. Cautious hands rubbed against her eyelids. What on Remnant?

The beowolves were bowing. Bowing to her? Her head whirled at every possible angle and she realized that all the grimm around her were doing the same thing. Her eyes glanced over to one of the beowolves. Its body twitched unnaturally and its fangs were still exposed but now directed towards her feet. Upon observing the others, they too exhibited this behaviour.

The desire to slaughter was still present. It was always present. But right now, this dark ferocity was restricted by the chains of an unknown force. Her racing heart began to slow down.

"Uh…"

 _BARK_

There it was again. She looked around but the source was nowhere to be seen. The barking continued. Not a second later, her eyes were fixed at the creature sitting inches away from her boots.

At first, she thought that it was just a black dog. The white bone resting over its head confirmed what it was. Another beowolf. But it was different from the rest. And she wasn't referring to the obvious size difference. The ones around her were mindless. But this one? She didn't know how to describe it other than an odd air of authority surrounding its being.

The beowolves began to rise. She took a step back. Of course, she knew that it was pointless. It was a movement out of instinct if anything.

The creatures of Grimm dispersed away from her. One by one, they made their way back into the forest. The rustling of brushes and the snapping of twigs filled the area, but their harsh cries were never heard.

Soon, the impending threat of death looming over her had vanished. Only to be replaced with uncertainty and overwhelming relief.

A swift breeze passed by. Her knees buckled and small pebbles found themselves pressed against the skin of her legs. She threw her head back and gave out the longest sigh into the heavens.

. . .

That bliss was only temporary.

She leaned forward and found herself staring into the eyes the beowolf pup. Its crimson eyes blinked in response.

In an instance of panic, she reached for her fallen blade and scrambled backwards on her butt from the grimm. She aimed the sword directly at it. "Stay back!" She yelled, waving the weapon for good measure to scare the beowolf away.

The small beowolf merely tilted its head to the side.

Irritation took over with a small sense of confidence mixed in. She bit her lip. W-Was it mocking her?! Does it have any idea how much of a disadvantage it's in right now? The beowolf showed no signs of movement. She used this opportunity to get up from the ground. As she stared down at it, her confidence suddenly came back ten-fold.

The Hero could totally win this!

"This is your last chance. If you take a step forward, I'll be forced to strike you down! All your friends are gone now!" She smiled in triumph. "Yes, the moment you encountered the great Hero was the moment destiny determined your fate. But I am feeling generous right now. Leave now and you may live another day!"

The creature made a brief wheezing sound at her. Was it choking on something? It took a step forward, resulting in her taking two quick steps back.

Erk!

Did it see through her _tactical bluff_? A truly fearsome foe indeed.

She winded her sword back, ready to swing at the advancing enemy.

" _Caw!"_ The sound of a crow flew over them.

The beowolf stopped in its tracks. Its ears shot up into the sky. It frantically turned its head in random upward directions as if it was expecting a heavy object to fall out of the sky and crush the grimm.

"Hey, stop sight-seeing and fight me!"

The hairs on its back stood up as straight ends. A weak yelp was emitted from its jaws. Their eyes met one last time before it darted back into the forest.

And now the Hero was confused. Well, _confused_ would be a soft way to explain the entire situation. It was a massive mess of emotions swirling from within. She placed her sword back into its sheath. She closed her eyes and tried to recall the unpleasant events that had just occurred.

Her eyes snapped open in realization.

Yes, of course!

Everything makes sense now.

The encounter with the pack of beowolves. The pursuit of her life. The creatures of grimm attacking one another and then suddenly leaving her. And that beowolf pup barking and running away from her – it's all adding up now!

She broke into a sprint back to the village.

They needed to know.

She had to let everyone know what she saw that day.

Why didn't she realize this sooner?

. . .

This was destiny confirming that she was the _main character_! The one and only _Hero of Remnant_ fated to save all of humanity! She soon had a wild smile plastered over her face at the thought of her brilliant future.

Beware evildoers for this little Rose has justice on her side!

* * *

 **So, I've read the reviews. Some of you are questioning on her identity. Eh, the summary tells one tale while this chapter tells another of who is little flower is. Next chapter will confirm. Keep the reviews coming, constructive criticism is appreciated. Have a nice day.**


	6. Revolution and Delusion

**Really important message to my fellow readers who scroll all the way down to read the ending first. DON'T. I feel like I'm going to regret this. It's like telling someone not to press the button but now they suddenly want to because of it. So, please read the chapter normally. AND THIS GOES TO THE READERS WHO WRITE REVIEWS HALF-WAY THROUGH THE CHAPTER TOO.**

* * *

You know what I miss about being human?

Being able to walk on two feet.

I mean, _sure,_ I could stand on my hind legs in my current form. but then I end up looking like an idiot doing the _Thriller_ dance.

 _And it wouldn't that bad of a problem either if I actually grew._

The situation is quite ironic. Last week, I was acting all cool and wise with claiming how my patience was going to reward me in the end. Any other person with common sense would agree with that claim.

However, after a considerate amount of time, I would like to point out a _small detail_. First, I am no longer considered a person. Technically I'm a bloodthirsty monster of darkness lacking any sign of compassion or any human emotions. And second, there is no "any other person with common sense" since the majority of my day is spent dealing with mindless fodder who, by the way, don't usually wake up the next morning. How many beowolves need to die before I show any sign of progress? Better yet, how many Alphas do I need to slaughter? Their Essence was at least ten-times the amount of EXP if we're thinking RPG mechanics here!

Which leads me to my second issue.

"Ho ho ho, so we meet again monster!" the young teen declared with hands on her hips. "It seems destiny has chosen this day for our glorious clash!"

Like I said before, I have yet to meet an individual with a shred of common sense since my reincarnation.

 _And let me be the first to tell you that Ruby Rose has none whatsoever._

The white hoodie and shorts was a surprise to me since I was so used to the iconic red cloak. The lack of scythe-that-was-also-a-gun initially made me question her identity. But her um – _eccentric_ – personality fit the bill, albeit it was over the top and straight up weird for a sane person. Let's be real here, name me one other teenage girl with short hair and silver eyes besides Ruby Rose?

That's right, there aren't any.

So by my clever deduction skills I've deduced that this girl is indeed Ruby Rose.

She huffed her chest, bringing a hand to cover the opposite side of her face. "It looks like my mere presence alone has made you speechless. Go on! Feast your nefarious eyes on the hero that will finally defeat you!"

". . ." I replied with a dead stare. The afternoon sun hangs over us like a stage light through the overhead of hanging branches. The sound of the flowing river water was the only thing surrounding this awkward air. The sound is nostalgic and brings up a strangely warm feeling. The memory of my triumph over Jagger Jaw sends a tingling sensation throughout my body. In normal circumstances, I would be grinning at the memory. Maybe even laugh a bit too. Unfortunately, these aren't normal circumstances.

 _Sigh_.

What the hell is with all this dramatic posing? Last time I checked I was in the universe of _Remnant. If I wanted dramatic posing then I would have done so in a universe filled with muscular people punching each other with psychic ghosts._

… And she's not done yet either.

She held that ridiculous pose for another five seconds. "…Nailed it." She whispered with a wide smile. Don't you think I can't hear you?

At least have the decency to stay in character!

"Prepare yourself _monster_ because today is the day your blood will be spilt!" My god, Ruby I'm sitting a couple feet away from you. You don't need to shout. She grasped the hilt of her – _ahem_ – "sword". "This is it! Here I go- "

* _CLICK*_

"Um…"

There was an awkward pause. She coughed.

* _CLICK*_

"H-Here I go!"

* _CLICK*_

Her silver eyes were wide with shock. That arrogant smile was replaced with a frown stretched across her face. Ruby's prideful composure broke down. She leaned forwards. Her hand now had a crushing death grip over the poor hilt as she struggled to pull the "blade" free. I sat there quietly and watched the so-called hero repeat the motions of revealing her weapon with a mix of pity and amusement.

* _CLICK*_

"Here I go!"

* _CLICK*_

"Here I go!"

* _CLICK*_

"T-This isn't the time right now." She spoke through gritted teeth. "C'mon, just let me…"

* _CLICK_ *

"Oh come one! I just oiled this in the morning!"

This was like – what – our fifth encounter this week? I'm amazed at the fact she was allowed to walk through this forest despite having been nearly killed by grimm. Then again, that _alcoholic bird_ must be nearby. You wouldn't believe the immense paranoia I had for the past few days. Every single time I heard that damned cawing, I'd be running into a hiding spot in a heartbeat.

I don't have to put up with this. I gave my legs a good stretch and made my way towards my territory.

"H-Hey, where are you going?!" Ruby protested. "Come back here, our epic battle isn't done yet!"

Girl, our _epic battle_ hasn't even started yet either!

"Just give me a second!"

I paused for a moment with no effort in turning my head back.

… _One._

I proceeded to walk away again.

"That's not what I meant!" She ran ahead to block my path. "Now stay!"

My ears twitched. Did you just yell an order at me? Has Tai-Yang taught you any manners? I'm not a dog Ru – wait… _shit._

Having someone indirectly point out my misfortune suddenly puts me in a foul mood. I got roasted by Ruby Rose of all people. _Hello darkness my old friend…_

"Come one… just… a little bit more – Ah Ha!" A sound familiar to fingernails clawing on a chalkboard filled by eardrums as Ruby finally pulled her "sword" free. She laughed in triumph with her weapon raised towards the sky, "Yes, finally! Now get ready, monster!"

She took a deep breath and spoke in a soft whisper, "I am the White Void, I am the Cold Steel, I am the Just Sword…"

 _Oh my fucking god-_

She aimed her "sword" at me. "… with holy blade in hand I will defeat the villains of this world and cleanse it in the Light of Justice! I am – "

* _BARK*_

I interrupted her.

Stop! Ruby, please! I can't take you seriously when you're holding that garbage excuse as a weapon at me. _'Holy blade in hand?'_ ~ _Please~_ there's nothing holy about some rusted blunt sword! Am I supposed to feel threatened? Are you delusional? You must be with all this heroic crap you've been spewing at me every time we meet!

"H-Hey, don't interrupt me!" Her cheeks flushed. She waved her fake sword to the side. "I spent the whole day in class preparing this speech against you! Show some respect when the hero is talking!"

My eye was twitching at this point _._ I-I don't even…what? How? What the hell is going on right now? Every single time you have some ridiculous speech prepared for me, and every single time they get even more ridiculous.

"…Um, now how did it go again?" Ruby scratched the back of her head with her free hand. "Give me a sec, I'm pretty sure I left my notepad in my pocket." She reached into her left pocket, and then into her right. When no notepad was presented, she began to frantically pat down her attire. "Come on, it's got to be here somewhere…" She bit her lip. "I-I think left it at home."

 _Sigh._

She sheathed her sword and stared at me with a downcast expression. "So, here's the thing." She said. "I want to make it perfectly clear that I am not running away. This…This is simply a tactical retreat! Y-yeah. I just need to rehearse – I mean make better preparations for our next fateful encounter!"

She pointed her index finger dramatically into the sky. "So rejoice monster of darkness! For today, fate has decided for our epic clash to end in a stalemate." She pointed at me. "But tomorrow, you will surely meet your demise!"

 _Of course I will_. Just like the other times you've warned me of my impending doom despite reaching the same outcome every single time. I rolled my eyes and started making my way back. God, I'm supposed to be enjoying my afternoon nap right around this time. Not entertaining some delusional brat.

"We shall meet again at the timeless battlefield," Ruby called out from behind.

' _Same place as usual'_ I interpreted. Doesn't matter what the location is in the end. Maybe it's because I'm an alpha beowolf, but her emotions, so simple yet so complex, have become a familiar odor to me. Hm, I guess _sensation_ would be a better way to describe it? Tracking her down was as easy as breathing at this point.

The only reason I bother meeting with her is to make sure no other grimm decide to eat her. A simple bark was all that was needed to command them to stay in place. I like to think my Authority is large despite my size. This, of course, leads to the usual stalemate.

Ideally, I should leave her safety in the hands of her uncle, but then again, he's an alcoholic. Still, there's a warm tiny tingling from within after our meetings. I think it's my selfish desire to not be held responsible for her death. Knowing that you had the ability to prevent a disaster but not doing so is a disgusting feeling in my opinion. It's like a disturbing force that gnaws at your chest and you suddenly feel like throwing up your entire digestive tract but the only thing that comes out of your mouth is a mute cry. I mean, you can't feel like shit if the person never died in the first place, right?

This tingling reminds me of my inner humanity. Of course, the feeling doesn't last long and is quickly replaced with a sense of frustration for ending up in this situation in the first place.

 _Stupid shut-in reaper._

* * *

I stared at the river's reflection. I couldn't help but grimace at the pathetic face staring back.

 _Is this my real life? Trapped in her fantasies? How did I end up in this landslide of insanity?_

How did it come to this?

Ah right.

I tried to save Ruby's life after my pack went insane from the negativity and chased after her. If I knew what I was going into, I would have let your uncle Qrow come in last minute and rescue you. I'm pretty sure that any other fan in my situation would be ecstatic to meet Ruby Rose in person. I mean, who wouldn't freak out if they met the main character from one of their favourite shows?

I won't deny that I sort-of-maybe-not-really mentally squealed when I realized who she was. And the way she threatened me was too cute to be taken seriously. That was before I realized that she was actually some delusional hero wannabe. All good things must come to an end I suppose.

In some other alternative universe, some sick bastard is probably writing a fanfic about how Ruby Rose befriends a reincarnated beowolf and ends up becoming her live-in pet. And then for some reason, all the other characters won't blink an eye about associating with a beowolf because ~ _surprise, surprise~_ they're "special" and end up hijacking the entire series as the _totally justified_ overpowered protagonist who just happens to always be at the right place and time. And oh, what's this? The reincarnated beowolf suddenly has a harem but is too dense of a motherfucker to realise it? So creative! And let's include Peter Port in their harem because why-the-fuck not!?

Hah…there's so many things wrong with that chain of thought. Becoming Ruby Rose's pet is the least bizarre, but it sounds more like a punishment than a blessing after getting to know her. What can I say – reality is a cruel bitch that enjoys misfortune. I'd have better odds of being struck by lightning than being friends with a human, let alone a huntsman in that regard. Hell, you'd either must be mentally unstable or pretty fucking lonely if you wanted a beowolf as a friend.

The brat really is an idiot. When she confronts me, I'm treated like some sort of children's plaything. But when an _actual_ grimm shows up, all that heroic bravado suddenly vanishes and I have to save the day. And you want to know the best part that always gets to me? She has the audacity – _the audacity –_ to thank something as stupid as destiny for looking after her as " _the hero of the story"_. Why can't you connect the dots already?

I'd be taken seriously if I grew. I would have been fine with patiently waiting. Killing grimm in their sleep or ordering my pack to swarm one another to slowly but surely amass Essence. But that brat is a master of psychological warfare. My patience is gone. My bottled frustration is at its peak and is beginning to leak out. I'm starting to have doubts about myself.

' _What if I never grow? Will all my effort be wasted in the end? What's the point of continuing? What if-_

I dunked my head into the coursing waters.

I shouldn't be thinking like this!

I filled my lungs with a rush of fresh air. I can do this. I can totally do this! I'll grow up powerful and then that brat can finally leave me alone. Droplets of water dripped from my face, creating ripples in my distorted reflection. Calm down and think. Every time I absorb Essence, I can feel it: the surge of elation coursing through me and feeling of power building up. I know I have power. I just can't seem to use it properly.

What if I concentrate super hard and force it out of me?

Worth a shot.

 _ **HHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG**_

… Aside from pulling a leg muscle, I don't think I accomplished anything. Back to the drawing board. So aside from feeling high when I absorb Essence what else do I gain? Right, my ability to command the Grimm improves; my so-called Authority.

And then it hits me.

 _Authority._

My ability to command the creatures of Grimm.

I'm a beowolf who happens to have a human conscience. So technically speaking, I'm considered a creature of grimm as well. So, would that mean that…? No way, it couldn't be that simple, right?

I gazed upward. Nothing ventured nothing gained. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to let my body relax. If I recall, all I need to do is bark while thinking of the command. I'm restricted to a few words, however. But then again, this was my body. I'm wondering if I could use a full sentence instead? All these questions. Such a short amount of time but I've forgotten the feeling of curiosity. _How exhilarating_.

I opened my eyes.

 **I order this body of mine by my own Authority with one command:** _ **Evolve**_ **.**

…

Welp…fu- * _sniff*_ \- is something burning? Black trails of smoke enter my vision until clouds surround me. I suddenly find myself engulfed in black flames. But it doesn't burn nor does it hurt. It was a sensation relating that to being covered by a warm blanket by a fireplace. For the briefest of moments, I become weightless and lose all sense of touch. Fear and joy. Curiosity and anticipation. I experience these emotions simultaneously.

The flames disperse and I feel…different.

Heavier.

Everything around me looks as if the world shrunk. Unless – d-did I get taller?!

"Haah…" I let out a snarl. The voice is unfamiliar: deep and piercing. My breathing becomes unsteady. Have I done it? Did I succeed? My front claws twitched in the air unconsciously. I looked down and I swear to you that my heart started to race. Massive trembling claws clad in sharp bone stared back at me. They hung in the air. With only my armoured hind-legs to support me as I finally stood upright. I inspected my new body; making a mental note of every protruding spike and rough plating.

My tail wagged furiously in response to my emotional state. My body was quaking. I couldn't hold it in any longer.

" **Haha! HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH**!" I cackled with great victorious arms raised. Yes! Holy shit, it worked! It worked! I can't believe something as simple as that worked! Hah!

I knelt to stare at my new reflection. Crimson with glints of gold met my eyes. A crescent design of two red lines ran across the smooth bone that covered my entire upper face while a familiar pattern of jagged armor encased my lower jaw. It was as if I was wearing a knight's helmet whose design was inspired by a combination of two certain Alpha beowolves I had killed. Hmm, now that I think about it, my new body oddly resembles features of the murdered Skull Face and Jagger Jaw.

But wait!

If this was a new body, how are my motor controls now? Let's see: _left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot, up, down, up, down, spin, twirl._ Yup, looks like I can control my movements fluidly without worrying about spaghetti leg syndrome! How about strength? I looked around to find something I could gauge my power. What to choose, what to choose? A tree? Or how about that boulder over there-

" **Grrr** " I whirled my head to meet two Ursa grimm emerge from the thick forest. Given their size and appearance, I'd say that they were Minor class. Perfect volunteers to help me! They idly made their way past me with no sign of hostility. Why would they? I'm grimm, just like them.

I stared at my claw. Should I be anxious right now? If you think about it, I've assassinated Grimm in their sleep and even commanded them to slaughter their fellow comrades in broad daylight. But this will be my first time that I'll be killing one with my bare hands…er claws.

I'm not doubting my resolve to kill. I've killed plenty before. And they're just grimm. I'm doing humanity a favor by ridding them. The concept of cleaving at my enemies is foreign to me. Am I supposed swing wildly? Maybe stab them from the behind? Rip off their arms and beat them to death with their appendages? Since when did killing grimm become over-complicated?

Whatever, I'll just wing it.

The two Ursa paid no mind to me when I approached them with murderous intent; just mindlessly drinking away. My heart is racing. The hair of my fur stands on its ends in sheer anticipation. I gradually raised one arm in the air. I sent my claw directly into its head. The sensations were insanely rapid; the crunching of bone plating followed with the tearing of flesh and finally the impact of the earth. I had struck with such tremendous force that a shock wave had erupted around us, creating a fog of dirt and debris with an array of river water droplets descending from above.

 **Ha hah.**

I could see a shadowy figure a couple feet away. Poor Ursa must have been knocked away from my strike. The first Ursa's Essence surged into me. It was unique this time. A violent ecstasy accompanied with accomplishment. I killed it. Not with some tool. Not with other monsters. Only me. I tore right through its brain with my own bloody hand! I stepped out of the cloud and faced the remaining Ursa. Its fierce roar echoed through the forest. Its intensity created vibrations throughout my mind.

I'm not frightened.

I'm not worried.

I bare my fangs to the Ursa, revealing my maddening grin.

 _I'm damn excited._

We charge at each other. Our hands interlock with each other in opposing forces. It was a clash of strength to determine who could overtake the other. The surface beneath our feet become crushed. Neither one of us wants to lose.

I don't play fair, of course.

My fingers curve inwards, impaling my newly evolved claws into its paws. It cries out. Its grip loosens and its arms falter. I tighten my hold until that sweet snapping of bones courses through my ears.

I win.

" **GGGR-"** Its roar was cut off when I swung at its neck. Its body toppled over with a massive thud. Give me your ashes.

My god. What an exhilarating rush. No cunning ambush. No patient stalking. Just straight-up brutality. I understand now. What it truly meant to be an Alpha.

I released a bellowing howl over my victory.

…

And then everything became calm. My arms hung to my sides with no purpose. I headed back home all while maintaining a devilish grin.

Tomorrow will absolutely be the last "battle" against that delusional brat.

* * *

Today was going to be a very special day. And if I've been keeping my calendar up to date, today should also be Friday. So that makes today double special.

Today is the day where I'm finally going to be free of Ruby's antics.

I made sure to wake up a little extra early for this occasion. I had to make sure I got to our "timeless battlefield" first. My plan was simple. I would wait for her to show up, transform into the big badass beowolf form from yesterday, and then scare the crap out of her to the point where she won't bother me again. It's brilliant! There'll probably be some mental scarring, but I'm sure her family will support her recovery.

Oh, and that reminds me. Turns out I can transform back into my small non-threatening self with a simple command. Being a large badass Alpha grimm is cool and all, but I've had a revelation about my _original_ form. I can't describe it. Maybe it's because I was reborn in that body, but it just feels more _natural_ as a pup as crazy as that sounds. I can switch between forms whenever I want so I'm not really losing anything.

I'm currently relaxing in a bush until the "Hero" shows up. I wonder what kind of speech she has prepared this time? Maybe I should interrupt her-

Ah, there she is.

She entered our usual clearing with a small skip in the step. "Alright, today's the day I finally settle this." She said out loud. She played with the hilt of her sword. "The holy sword is extra oiled and ready to be unsheathed with no difficulties. I've spent the whole night practising my heroic lines and I made sure to eat a proper meal so my stomach doesn't interrupt me…"

How cute. I kind of feel a little bad now. Did she put in all this effort just for me?

Well.

I said _a little bad_. I'm going through with my plan and nothing is going to stop me-

"Aha! You're finally here. Hurry up and show yourself," She said in my direction. Did that silver eyed brat actually spot me? Wait, are those footsteps?

"Get ready, today is the day I- huh?" Her mouth went agape in shock. "But…you're not…"

Two stray beowolves entered the scene. They snarled harshly as they made their way towards her. Ruby took a couple steps back only to trip and fall on her butt.

Oh for fuck sakes, you're ruining my plan! These idiots! Out of all the days – it just had to be today!?

 _Sigh._

This is the part where I order them to stop in place. Ruby will then go on about the whole "main character is me" crap which will ultimately end up in yet another "stalemate".

 _ **STOP!**_

My bark froze them in place.

…You know what?

No, I refuse!

I'm not wasting another day of this!

I ordered my body to transform. I stomped towards the frozen beowolves.

Let's deal with idiot #1. I grasped both hands over its head and twisted it a whole 180 degrees. The Essence wasn't even enough to settle my frustration.

As for idiot #2.

…Hmm. I was going for death by dismemberment but there was _one thing_ I wanted to try in my previous life. I wrapped my arms around the waist of the beowolf from behind, being extra careful to not apply too much force. Dying by crushed ribs would be too easy for you. Once I was confident in my hold and form, I arched backwards with the full intent of planting its entire head into the ground.

" _ **Super Seriously Serious Grimm-Slaying Serious Technique: Seriously Serious Grimm-Slaying German Suplex!"**_

I didn't bother checking if it was still alive. The loud crack was enough for me.

Alright.

 _Breathe in._

 _Count to 10._

 _And breathe out._

She didn't take the chance to run away. Good. This makes things easier for me. I leaned in close.

"Um…" She gawked at me with a mix of fear and confusion. With wide eyes and slack jaw, she had no idea of what was to come.

And then…

I laughed at her. It may have sounded different, but the odd sound resembling a man choking on fried chicken was characteristic to me. And only me.

Her silver eyes lit up with recognition. "W-What? No way. I-It can't be! _IT WAS YOU?!_ "

Told you. Characteristic.

She quickly picked herself up. "B-But how?! I can't believe – _I won't believe it_."

Okay, I see how it is.

 **I command this body to revert to its original state.**

My entire self is covered in mist and when it dissipates, I'm back to my regular grinning self.

 _Hah!_ Her face is priceless right now! That's right brat, it's time to learn your place-

"It totally makes sense now!"

Wait, what?

Her face lit up. She had that stupid smile on her face. Oh no, she was back to her delusional self again! "I thought it was weird at first. How, whenever I got ambushed by other grimm, _you_ would show up and then they would just stop and go somewhere else. I thought it was just fate looking out for me as the main character…but I understand now."

O-Okay. Not what I was expecting but I'm open to-

"It's so obvious!" She said. "Every epic story needs a villain. Otherwise, there'd be no happy ending! Fate has chosen _you_ to be my eternal villain!"

This delusional girl!

She pointed at me. "That's why all the other grimm leave – it's because fate has decreed that only _you_ can have the honor to fight the great Hero!"

What the fuck? No! Not at all! You're getting it wrong! All wrong! _More than wrong!_ Do you even hear the stuff coming out of that mouth right now?!

Ruby placed a hand under her chin. "Hmm. But if fate has given you the ability to transform into a powerful form…" * _GASP*_ "… that must mean I'll be able to transform into an even more powerful form as well!"

Kill me Qrow.

She squealed with delight. "Oh my gosh! I wonder if my transformation will give me spiky blonde hair and bright blue eyes! Oh – and a golden aura too. Can't forget that! _"_

…I don't even know how to react to her anymore.

"It's settled!" She declared, clapping her hands. "We shall be arch-enemies to each other!"

 _No, we won't._

"Pure good and evil characters fighting it out to determine the fate of Remnant!"

 _The only evil character here is the idiot who filled her head with all this nonsense._

She placed her hands on her hips and yelled out, "You, _villain_ , shall be defeated by the greatest Hero that Remnant shall ever know! **Summer Rose**!"

Uh huh. Yup. Sure. Whatever you say Sum… _mer?_ Summer? Rose? _S-Summer Rose…_

 _Huh…funny. That's the name of Ruby's…mom._

O-Oh.

Oh fuck.

But…if you're Summer Rose…then… that would mean that I'm in the…

Sweet explosive Jesus, I'm in the past.

As Summer Rose kept rambling on about my impending doom, I couldn't help but stare aimlessly at the empty morning sky.

 _D, are you watching me right now? I'm sorry for calling you a shut-in. Is it too late for me to re-roll my reincarnation?_


	7. Argentum: Village of Silver

_**Chapter Finale**_

The world was ending.

The monsters known as Grimm have united under a single banner. They have laid an endless sea of destruction and sorrow across Remnant. No one could stop their onslaught. One by one, Heroes from all over the world were defeated. It didn't matter how much courage you possessed, how much power you had, nor how big your fan-club was. Everyone met the same fate.

A curse was cast on them, forcing them into an eternal slumber.

But who cast the curse? Whose heart was so twisted and filled with darkness that they could do something so cruel to the beloved heroes? Why it was none other than the mastermind controlling all the grimm.

The nefarious _Villain_! The dastardly beowolf who was given immense power by the supernatural. Power so immense that they could transform into an unstoppable form at will. With conniving cunning, they manipulated destiny into having full control over all grimm. Everyone knew its sinister laughter. Soldiers and warriors would drop to their knees and cry for their mommies the moment that dreadful sound echoed throughout the battlefield.

The _Villain's_ ingenious plan was insane by all accounts. They wanted to rule the entire world! _Such an evil creature_. _If the Villain ruled the world, they would make school last even longer and would hog all the chocolate-chip cookies to themselves._

 _Truly evil._

Not even big sis', the coolest hero of them all, could stop the _Villain_.

All hope seemed lost.

Despair lingered in the air.

All of Remnant's Heroes were gone.

All except for one.

She was the Hero of Justice. Her name was none other than Summer Rose!

No matter how powerful the _Villain's_ armies were, they were no match for the last Hero. Even in the darkest of nights, she never gave up. She was the strongest of heroes. A single glare from her silver eyes was all it took for the grimm to cower in fear. Her presence was known on the battlefield. Her smiles lit the righteous path with hope. Slowly but surely, the forces of good began pushing the _Villain's_ forces back to their super-secret lair.

 _The Mountain._

She ascended to the base of the Mountain. There, the final battle between good and evil would take place. The Mountain's peak was an unnaturally flat surface. It was almost as if the _Villain_ knew she would make it and prepared it just for her. One last battlefield to conquer before peace was achieved.

The sky was blackening. The wind was howling. Nightfall would come and the stars would come to witness to their last epic clash.

"So, it's finally come to this." Summer said. Her white cape danced brilliantly from behind. She stared intently at the stone throne that rested in the center of the battlefield. The _Villain_ , in their pup form, sat in the seat with an air of dominance around it. "After so many countless battles, we finally meet again. This will be the day your reign of terror ends here, _Villain_!"

The _Villain_ tilted its head to the side. **'Do really think you stand a chance against me, little Hero? All the other Heroes couldn't defeat me. Your sister couldn't defeat me. You stand alone at the throne of the Grimm Ruler.'** The mute voice responded.

She clenched her scabbard. Warm fingers meeting cold leather. She chuckled quietly with a gentle smile. "You're right. There is _no_ _chance_ against you, _Villain_."

The _Villain_ bared its fangs at her. Its crimson eyes were filled with arrogant joy. _'_ **So you understand then, little Hero? That your entire quest was pointless-**

"-Because chance implies the possibility of defeat!" Her voice boomed. "Against you, there is no chance you'll win against me." She brought her right hand up to her chest. "Do you feel it, _Villain_? My heart and soul are resonating together. A voice of a thousand cheers wells up from within! It's a single message and it's telling me to take you down!"

The _Villain's_ expression changed. It lowered its gaze. ' **Very well then, foolish Hero. You will meet the same fate as the others.'** Their body ignited in growing black flames. An enormous inferno pillar rose. Ashes danced in the air. An immense amount of heat washed over her cheeks, but Summer didn't falter. ' **Let me show you what happens when you defy the Grimm Ruler.'**

The pillar took shape. It expanded and flickered. A sea of black smoke covered the entire sky, consuming the light of the moon and the stars. A gigantic cloud of black flames towered over her. Two giant red orbs in the sky looked down. They spoke of distortion.

' **THIS IS THE END'**

But the Hero showed no sign of fear. Her legs stood firm on the ground. Her mouth was flat and her eyes were filled with determination. "No, it's not. I'm not going to stall, _Villain_. I will use my strongest attack to end this, right here and now."

She let out a long breath and affixed her hand to the hilt of the holy sword. A torrent of black flames descended upon her, engulfing everything with the intent to reduce to ashes.

She spoke. Her voice echoed throughout the sky; all the souls fighting against the forces of darkness heard her.

" _I am the Hero of my Tale"_

The greedy flames were forcibly dispersed. Massive white aura was emitted from her body.

' **W H A T?!'**

" _Justice is my body, and Victory is my blood."_

' **IMPOSSIBLE'**

" _I have created over a thousand dreams."_

She revealed her sword, its blade glowing with pure lunar light. The aura increased in intensity. The ground beneath her began to crumble.

" _Unknown in Beginning,_

 _Nor known in Ending."_

' **STOP THIS! STOOOOP!'**

The _Villain_ unleashed another pillar of fire at her, but it was useless. Her aura alone was enough to extinguish the hellish assault. Summer held the holy sword with both hands.

' _The Orphan stands alone, stars fading in a darkening night."_

She raised her sword high towards the heavens. It fired a beam of white light into the fog-filled sky.

" _Yet, the moon will always shine."_

The fog cleared, revealing a floating sea of bright yellows lights. The moonlight shone its ray over the _Villain_ , burning its very core of existence. Their pained screeches were heard across the entire world.

She smiled. This will be the day!

" _And so, I declare, Unlimited Hero-_

"SUMMER ROOOOOOOSE!"

* * *

"Ouch!" she squeaked with shut eyes, bringing both hands over her head where the wooden ruler had struck. "I was getting to the good part too…"

"Yes, I'm sure daydreaming does have its ' _good parts_.'" A deep voice groaned.

She opened one eye with a grimace to meet a disappointed expression. Oh yes, Summer Rose was well familiar with the look of disappointment. The school faculty made quite sure of that.

He was a middle-aged man. But the way he curved his mouth and angled his eyebrows when he frowned really made the creases of wrinkles more apparent. Not to mention the occasional streaks of gray in his slicked-back black hair. She, along with the rest of the class, silently agreed in unison that their professor looked a lot older for his age.

He adjusted the black tie over his coal dress shirt, "You're thinking about how I'm getting old, aren't you Summer?"

 _Erk?!_

"Um…no?" Summer mumbled. She suddenly had the urge to look at another part of the empty classroom. Anywhere but what was in front of her.

"Ow!" the flat of the ruler hit her over the head again.

Why did he have to hit her? Out of all the teachers here, this man was the only one who physically punished his students. With a wooden measuring tool of all things. She understood that this was a combat school, but this was ridiculous! What's next, they're going to hire a professor who drinks alcohol while teaching? What are the odds of that?

"Try again." He said. She recalled that he hated liars. How did he even know she was lying? Was he a mind-reader?!

"Y-Yes…" She looked down at the white-tiled floor.

" _Yes_ to who exactly?" Her silver eyes immediately darted upward. The ruler was raised in the air. The Hero had to act fast!

"Yes, _Professor Pigeon_!" She blurted out quickly.

The professor exhaled steam from his nose. "It's Professor _Peejun!"_

"Please don't hit me!" Summer cried out, her hands instinctively over her head. The blow never came. Instead, there was a soft _click_ heard when Professor Peejun placed the ruler on the chalkboard behind his seat.

He was a no-nonsense man if the signs of obvious stress were anything obvious. He saw misbehaviour, called you out on it, and later call you out on it again, and – surprise – call you out again.

He sighed. "Honesty is important, Summer." He pulled out five papers stapled together and placed it on his well-ordered desk. "Do you know why I called you after class?"

"I'm being sent to the graduating year for my outstanding performance?" She half-grinned. He raised an eye-brow, ' _You want me to use the ruler?',_ she interpreted. Her expression weakened. "I…probably did something wrong…again?"

Professor Peejun sighed again. He adjusted his glasses by the corner. "If you were still a first-year student I would have said yes. But since I've had the pleasure of teaching you for a whole year, I'm going to say with confidence that _questionable_ is the appropriate term."

He tapped the papers. "It's about last week's assignment regarding beowolves."

"Wait a second," she protested. "I totally studied for that one!"

He smiled, his eyes hinting neither happiness nor cruelty. "Astonishingly, I can agree to your claim." He opened the first page of Summer's assignment. "Not only did you provide the required information that I wanted, but you also went into fine detail about beowolf mobility, age-progression, and pack mentality. Information that isn't supposed to be taught at this level…"

He left the statement out there to hang in the air. Summer coughed. "That's what I've been trying to tell you. To everyone!"

"What? That you got _ambushed_ by a pack of beowolves in the forest where it was forbidden to travel through without military supervision? And the only reason you're alive is because _destiny_ has made you the protagonist of the _story_? While I appreciate confidence and metaphors from my students, delusions of grandeur are something I particularly dislike." He said.

Why didn't anyone believe her?

She tried to interject, "But-"

"But," he spoke again, "I'm not here to talk about that. The first part of your assignment was excellent – which I might add is a massive improvement compared to your past assignments. It's the part about beowolf combat was where my hopes of you taking your studies seriously went down the drain."

The last part stung a bit. She was trying her best. She really was! It's just … hard to study when all your mind can do is think about creative speeches on heroism.

Professor Peejun turned to the last page of her assignment. "The diagrams were creative, I'll give you that, Summer." He placed his hand on his forehead. "It's what they displayed that really concerns me, however."

"Wah?" She gasped. But she stayed up all night working on those diagrams! "What could possibly be wrong with them?"

"Well let's see. For diagram A labelled, _How Beowolves Fight no.1,_ you drew an alpha beowolf snapping the neck of a lesser beowolf. For diagram B labelled, _How Beowolves Fight no.2_ , you drew the same alpha beowolf, but this time, it suplexed another beowolf into the ground." He rapidly tapped his finger on the desk. Why was he doubting her? She was there when it happened! This was the one assignment where she didn't use her creative imagination at all!

"If you had replaced the alpha beowolf with a human and changed the title, I would have given you part-marks." He continued, "Which brings me to your last diagram, which you labelled as, _Summer Rose's heroic guide at defeating the Villain_. In this picture, it depicts what appears to be you holding a sword while the alpha beowolf from the previous diagrams is – what I can assume to be – _banging its head against the side of a tree_."

He stifled a short dry laugh. "I'm sorry, but can you explain your reasoning behind this one?"

"Oh that?" She said. "Well, shortly after I declared their villainous status, they got super _excited_. Through a stroke of nefarious genius, they decided that the only way to handle the sheer excitement of having me – _the Hero_ – as their nemesis was to transform and tire themselves out by headbutting a tree!"

"I'm…going to pretend I never heard that." Professor Peejun whispered, eyes wide in disbelief. He paused and stared out the window; her silver eyes followed. The mini-blinds were pulled open today, projecting a still image of a vast afternoon sky with cotton clouds drifting through the blue emptiness.

Perfect weather to visit – er _confront_ the evil _Villain_! Who knows what nefarious plot they have in store for the world. Of course, as the Hero, it was her job to foil their plan.

The professor cleared his throat. "I think I've heard enough. Normally, I'd ask you to redo the entire assignment. But given the obvious improvement at the beginning, I'm willing to make an exception just for today. As such, I'll give it a B+."

B+? The corners of her mouth curved upward. That's the highest mark she's ever gotten this year! Big sis' is going to be so proud of her!

"Oi, wipe that smile off your face." He snapped his fingers in front of her. "You're not getting off the hook that easily. You're still getting punished for handing in something so ludicrous. Really Summer, a suplexing beowolf? _Hilarious._ "

Her shoulders slouched. "O-Oh. I-I see. So, another detention as usual?"

"For any normal student, that would be the most appropriate. Detentions are the best times for self reflection, after all." He rubbed his eyes between his fingers. "You, however, use that time to get lost in your imagination. So, no, I have something much more _productive_ for you. Something only, you can do."

Summer gulped.

Peejun opened the desk cabinet. He reached into it and retrieved a large light brown envelope which he placed over her assignment. There was a faint aroma of grinded coffee beans from the faded stain on the folder.

"What's this?" She asked.

"A letter of request addressed to our pleasant village's militia." He rolled his eyes. "Well, I say _village_ , but Argentum's population has grown to just around one thousand. When is that lazy Council going to officially change it to ' _town'_ already? But that's beside the point. As I was saying, I've noticed that our school's combat training equipment is rather lacking. There aren't enough weapons for combat class, and even then, they're in such a terrible state that we've resorted to using duct tape and glue! And don't even get me started on the training dummies. The school needs new equipment."

Summer hummed in agreement.

It makes complete sense. The only reason she was last in her class was because of the faulty equipment! Hah! There was absolutely no other reason she kept losing in spars against her fellow classmates!

"The militia should be able to help. Aside from overlooking village defence, their members are also responsible for guarding our travelling merchants against grimm and bandits. This letter is basically a grocery list, except the market is in the next town."

"But why not have the new equipment made here?" she asked.

He chuckled openly with a hint of sarcasm. "Then it becomes the Council's problem. Like I said, they're lazy; it'll take at least 20 years before they even decide to open the letter. I'd rather wait a couple weeks thank you very much." He inched the envelope towards her. It suddenly clicked. She had a feeling of where this was going. "I'd send the letter myself, but I feel that it would be better suited for you, given your relationships. I would like you to deliver this letter to Captain Rose."

Her heart suddenly did a jump for joy as it became evident through her ecstatic smile.

A quest! The Hero was offered a quest!

A super important one too! She was helping the entire school after all. And the best part was that she was getting the chance to meet big sis' in the middle of the day!

 _EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!_

Summer snatched the envelope and ran towards the classroom exit. She paused at the door frame and turned to her teacher. She struck a pose. "As the soon-to-be greatest hero of Remnant, I will complete this quest! Your letter is in safe hands, Professor _Pigeon_!"

' _Ah…I messed up. Haven't I?'_

She could tell from his eyes.

But mostly from the death ruler shaking in his grip.

Behind his tired silver eyes was an overwhelming fury. "How many times do I have to tell you…IT'S PROFESSOR PEEJUN!"

"I'M SORRY!" Summer cried out in the hallways in desperation of escaping school grounds.

* * *

 **("Alpha" POV)**

It's quiet today.

Gray clouds slowly congregate together to block out the sun in the sky. I think it's going to rain soon. I like the rain. It makes the world smell better, it cools the air, and makes all colours more intense. I don't know why people associate rain with depressing emotions. If anything, constant sunshine and rainbows sounded dreadful to me. No sign of change whatsoever. To each their own I guess.

I don't feel like doing anything. I have too much on my mind.

Well that, and I have a small headache from last week. It was a dull aching; a miniscule inconvenience at best. I really wasn't thinking clearly when I tried to get myself unconscious by headbutting a tree.

I just want to lie down next to my rock and stare aimlessly at the activities of my pack members. The territory is a bit crowded now, even after my daily purges. I probably should have just had Jagger Jaw's pack remain on their turf. Migration was such a pain in the ass, especially since that damn _Hero_ would take a chunk of my time. But I think it's a necessity.

Who knows what would happen if I just left all those beowolves there. Would they go on a hunting frenzy? Would a new Alpha rise in my absence and challenge me? Granted, they'd be dead after I send my little army of fodder on them but it's the principle that counts. Having all my resources in one location seemed like the best choice.

I yawned.

I thought being reincarnated as a beowolf was the worst thing that has happened to me. But finding out that I was reborn in the past and having a delusional girl with a death flag declaring my (second) death seemed like I hit a new level of rock-bottom.

I'll say it again. I'm a pessimist. I know for a fact this depressing roller coaster known as my rebirth hasn't even finished reaching its peak yet.

It had just dawned upon me but I've essentially time travelled if I'm thinking in terms of canon. In the many time-travel/ reincarnation fanfics that I've read in my previous life, there are two usual routes to be taken.

The first path involves the protagonist deciding to "preserve canon" and essentially do nothing other than act as the narrator. I call bullshit for this path. There is no such thing as "preserving canon." My mere existence and interaction with the brat has already derailed "canon" into the unknown.

The second, and more logical, path is that the protagonist uses their memories of the future to alter the events of the past to get the "happy ending." That's great, really. But I can't be that self-righteous protagonist when my chances of decapitation are more than certain compared to casually walking into Ozpin's office.

I think it would be best for me to just keep doing what I've been doing up until now.

A flock of birds emerge from the distance. I could hear the faint flapping of their wings followed by a resonant howl in the thickness of the woods. Hmm, I wonder what's gotten the grimm so excited about? I don't feel any negative emotions in that general direction, so it can't be Summer.

Oh right…Summer Rose.

And now I get to the more disturbing line of thought.

Summer isn't intimidated with my transformation at all.

If anything, I think the brat got even more riled up than before! How does that make sense?!

Do I have go to the extremes to make her leave me alone? Should I attack her?

…

I dismissed the idea a second after.

No, there's too many unknown factors. I don't even know the limits of my other form. What if I pierce her aura? Does Summer have her aura unlocked? Even if I do decide to attack, Qrow will just come in and save the – hey wait second.

Wait a second!

Qrow isn't going to do anything at all! He's not even here! Oh my god, I'm an idiot! I was terrified of an ordinary bird this whole time! I'm not sure if I should feel relief or disappointment. The realization that I've legitimately saved that brat's life in all our encounters leaves a dryness in my throat. Who exactly is raising this girl?

Oh, I've been unconsciously growling through my teeth this whole time.

Hmm I wonder…

I gave my legs a good stretch before I ordered my body to transform. I sincerely hope that the black flames are just for show. It would be a pain in the ass if I burned down the whole forest. The other beowolves don't bat an eye to my transformation. I know that they're mindless, but I still feel slightly insulted for being ignored. I am literally an eight-foot monstrosity. Can someone please take me seriously?

I kneeled and planted my sharp finger into the ground with ease. I keep my hand steady as I directed the single claw in seemingly random motions. The sensation of moving though dirt and minerals feels rough. Almost like tearing through cardboard.

 **STOP BOTHERING ME**

Hmm, my handiwork wasn't that bad. The letters in the dirt are distinguishable from each other and the message is simple enough that I'm sure even someone like Summer would understand it. It would be so much easier if I could talk. But I don't think my vocal cords are capable of speech aside from grunts and roars. The next best thing is written communication.

I'm such a genius! There's no way this could back-fire on me!

….

Hey, did I just screw myself over by thinking that? B-But this isn't some cliché fanfiction. This is reality! Y-yeah. And besides, when has communication ever made a problem worse? If anything, it's the lack of communication that results in misunderstandings. The next time we meet, I'll write this message out and Summer will leave me alone.

I laughed at the thought.

Screw you _Murphy's Law_ , my plan is fool-proof!

 _Nothing could possibly go wrong!_ _ **HAHAHAHAHA**_ _-_

Something crashed into the middle of the territory.

The shock of vibrations running beneath my feet brought a chill to my spine. There was a deafening boom followed with a lingering ringing in my ears. A massive cloud of dust, stone, dirt, and beowolves erupted at the site of impact. I backhanded a flying beowolf whose trajectory was aimed at me.

 _Sigh._

This is what I get for disregarding good ol' _Murphy_. Fuck. I don't know what to do. I'm confused at what the hell just happened. What fell out of the sky? Should I run?

There was a scent of burnt ashes in the air.

A moment of stillness and almost eerie silence.

I held my breath steady.

My entire pack was on high alert. A sea of monsters surrounded the mysterious site. I stood in place for the building tension had chained me down. Some of the older beowolves kept close to me. Whether it was because they were cautious or simply following my example, I wasn't sure. Oddly enough, their ferocious whispers helped me concentrate.

It was hard to see through the fog. I could make out a tall black figure rising in composure. A human? Another grimm? They seemed to be holding something. It was long and emitted a faint light. It looked like a massive yellow glow-stick. Everyone remained motionless, waiting until the fog had finally lifted.

I held my breath.

At the very centre of the territory, standing at the heart of a crater surrounded by an entire pack of beowolves was an armored knight. Wait…you look familiar. H-Have we met before? I feel like we have…

Well-maintained silver-plated armor. White cape dancing in the howling wind. Golden spear – wait… golden spear?

Oh.

I remember you now.

You're that huntsman who killed Steve!

The huntsman ripped the spear out of the earth and calmly rested it on their shoulder. The monstrous growling increased. There was a shuffle of primal movement in all directions. He didn't move from his spot. Strange, I don't sense any fear emitting from the knight. In fact, I don't sense any negative emotion at all. You, sir, must either be extremely cocky or a master at repressing your emotions.

Oi, pal, I don't care if you're a huntsman. I don't care how you even found this place in the middle of nowhere. What I do care about is how downright suicidal you are right now. Do you really think you have a chance against an army of beowolves practically surrounding you? Is every human in this universe insane?

Almost as if he was reading my thoughts, the huntsman scanned his environment in silence. So, you realize how screwed you are now? If you think I can save you with my Authority, I'm sorry, but there's no way I can order this many grimm to stop in pla-

He's staring at me.

I stare into the endless abyss behind the lone helmet slit. I-I don't why I'm doing this. I'm…shaking? My entire body is shaking, my blood is freezing yet my heart is racing faster than it's ever been before. My…my mind is muddled.

This is fear. I'm afraid of the huntsman. But I don't know why. I don't know why I'm afraid. Why me? In a mountain of straw, this man found the needle in just a few seconds. He located the Alpha of the pack.

My shoulders tighten and I instinctively stagger back.

Should I be afraid for my life? There's no way, right? There's no way that he could touch me when the distance between us is too great. Does he intend to reduce the sea of monsters into dust just to reach me?

I'm practically invincible!

A droplet of water landed on top of my head.

Then another.

Two more descended from the dark sky. Two became four. Four became eight. Eight became sixteen. Sixteen became thirty-two…

The beowolves howled and roared their battle-cries.

They charged.

They pounced.

Their sheer numbers collapsed upon the lone huntsman.

And then it started to rain.

* * *

 **(Summer POV)**

Argentum was a peaceful village to live in. It was a village of modern brick, white walls and oak wood, with ruined remnants of aged stone walls that circled the growing community in a broken circle. It had a beautiful river that ran through the centre of the village with carefully constructed bridges and a blockade of towering mountains in the far north. Outside the village was an open field, perfect for farming and agriculture, and just a little further was a forest of lumber and wildlife.

It was apparently located at the outskirts of the continent of Vale but Summer had no idea where exactly Argentum was located on the map. It wasn't like she wasn't paying attention. She looked. In fact, she had spent an entire day stuck in the library wasting her time looking at maps! It _really_ wasn't located on any maps she'd seen. All the adults would say that to find Argentum, one would need to travel north from village A or south from town B. It made no sense to her.

She ran through the town with an upbeat hum and sparkle in her eyes. She could smell the unique aromas of the occasional flower pots hanging by the open window sills and even the musty odor of the tavern when she passed by it. She gracefully weaved through the busy crowds, making sure to excuse herself for every accidental bump. It was busy around this time of day. The wide cobblestone streets were bustling with cheerful citizens carrying on with their day and filled her ears with undistinguishable conversations. She hugged the brown envelope by her side, making sure not lose the important item.

The militia hall was located on the eastern side of Argentum. By the time she arrived in front of the building, moody clouds had joined together to cast its shadow over the village.

"It's probably going to rain soon." She overheard one of the villager's conversations. She pouted. Summer wasn't a fan of rain. It darkens the world and makes all the colours dull and boring. She couldn't imagine anyone being happy when it rained. After all, a bright sun and clear skies were the best setting for an adventure story!

It was quieter around here. Conversations were more private. The sporadic clanging of metal could be heard from the local blacksmith nearby.

The militia hall was an awe-inspiring three-story building that watched over the entire village. It resembled a castle from one of the many fairy tales she had read. The building was designed like a pyramid: with the main floor being the largest and each consecutive floor being smaller. It had an arrangement of battlements and dust lanterns on the two upper floors with the main building having a modern tiled roof. At the very top was a tower-like dome that held a massive bell. Though, Summer couldn't recall a time growing up when the bell had been rung.

Elongated glass windows peered at her as she climbed the steps to the gate entrance. Two armored guards standing side by side at the gate saluted.

"Young Ms. Rose." They spoke in unison. Summer smiled in return.

She inwardly sighed.

There was no meaning behind their greeting, no emotion what so ever. It was a gesture of ordered respect towards big sis', not actually Summer. _'They probably don't even know my first name…'_ She thought as she entered the hall.

The interior was just as breathtaking.

The place was filled with its members. Some enjoyed each others company and shared a hearty laugh while others sat in comfortable silence inspecting their weapons. It wasn't too rowdy nor was it too reserved. The level of sound was well understood and respected.

It had a very warm and cozy atmosphere, with the smell of burning wood by the fireplace accompanied by the lulling crackling sound that it made. Certain floorboards beneath her would creak as she walked, a sign of withstanding the test of time. Tables and benches were organized throughout the main floor, as well as several long support beams at both ends of the hall. To the far left was a bar where she could spot a few warriors drinking in the middle of the day. Two staircases leading to the basement and second floor rested on the far right. An assortment of weapons and armor accessories hung on the walls of brick and stone.

A large cloth banner was suspended under a chandelier in the middle of the open room. Why it hadn't somehow burned down from being so close to fire dust was one of the village's unsolved mysteries. Its image was a white spear and sword striking each other. A bolded message was sewn on the bottom: **ARTE ET MARTE**.

Summer had no idea what the real message was. Apparently, the story behind the message was that the seamstress was particularly drunk that day and the intended message got jumbled up. Big sis' was furious when she found out. But Captain Trajan had a good laugh about it and managed to convince her to keep it.

She skimmed through the hall hoping to find big sis'. When she couldn't spot her, she went for the most suitable person to aid in her quest. Someone who was always by big sis' side.

A young woman sat by herself at a lone table in the furthest corner. Far and away from the rest of the militia members. Her posture was terrible. With a hunched over back and crossed arm firmly hugging her well-developed body, one could assume she was hiding in a transparent bubble. The lower half of her face was buried in a thick red scarf overly wrapped around her neck with one end dangling against the left side of her back.

She was the type of person to desperately try and blend in a crowd but fail horrendously so. Summer thought that the young woman was doing it even now without even realizing it. Every member of the militia wore silver armour, whether it was heavily plated or lightly reinforced based on their combat style. She was the most out of place, being the only one to opt for leather armour with a lone shoulder guard as her attempt to "blend in."

A tea set had been awkwardly set up on the long table, small white teacups and different purpose spoons had been randomly placed with no regard for elegance.

The fragrance of green tea leaves grew stronger as she approached. She heard that green tea had a relaxing effect on people. It seemed to be doing the opposite for the woman. Summer could hear the out-of-place woman mumble to herself out loud.

"Would… y-you like some t-tea? W-Would you li-like some tea? _Would you like some tea?_ " Over and over, all broken into stutters and low whispers.

"Hello Camilla!" Summer cheerfully greeted with a wide honest smile.

" _Eep!"_ The awkward girl known as Camilla became as stiff as a board. Before Summer could even say another word, a teacup and saucer were frantically shoved in front of her face. The movements were rigid and forced.

"Would you like some tea?!" Camilla shouted while looking down. All Summer could see was a trembling teacup _clicking_ against an equally trembling saucer in front of short violet hair. Camilla cautiously lifted her head. "O-Oh…it's just you Summer." Her tight shoulders relaxed seeing the younger girl.

Yes, yes, the Hero did have that calming effect on people. (Even if it only worked on Camilla).

"Whacha' doing?" Summer asked.

"O-oh, th-this?" Camilla lowered the teacup over her lap. "Ah, we-well…you see…Captain Rose told me I should c-connect with my f-fellow warriors. So, I thought that offering tea would do the trick. B-but as you can see…"

Summer blinked and looked around. She mentally flinched at Camilla's plan of location. Big sis' says that Camilla had confidence problems, but Summer refused to believe that. Given her rank in the militia and the stories of her combat abilities, big sis' must have been joking. She was convinced that Camilla was just super shy.

"It's okay, Camilla. That just means more tea for me." She said.

"Oh." Her meek silver eyes lit up and she poked her head out of the scarf. "Really? Th-That's wonderful! Have a seat." She reached for her metal longbow leaning against the bench to make space for Summer to sit. She hesitated. "O-Oh, do you want to sit here? I-I mean, of course you want to sit here – I-I just meant _here_ specifically! I-I'm not forcing you to sit _here_ – y-you can sit anywhere you want...aha ha ha."

Camilla's cheeks grew warm. She hid her face back in her scarf. Summer simply nodded and took a seat beside her. ' _Camilla is so polite.'_ Summer thought as she reached for the sugar cubes. She left the letter on the bench.

They elapsed in a moment of silence as both took a sip from their cups. The silence immediately broke when Summer spit her tea back into the cup.

"I-Is something wrong?" Camilla asked with worry.

The Hero clicked her tongue. "It's not sweet enough. Don't worry, I can fix this." Apparently, six sugar cubes weren't enough. Double the amount should do it.

"Um, Summer I think that's a bit too much sugar you're putting in there."

Summer gulped the entire cup with sweet satisfaction. "~ _Ahh_ ~ Your tea is amazing!"

"Um…thanks?" She stared into her cup. "So, what brings you to the hall, Summer? You know your s-sister is busy with work to play with you."

"Ho ho, I'm not here to play." She made a pose with her arms. "I'm on a super important quest! The fate of my combat ranking rests on the outcome of this mission! And I need your help to complete it, _Vice-Captain Camilla Invictus._

Camilla instantly did a spit take.

"Wha-wha-what?!" She shrunk. "No, no, please, Summer. Please don't address me with that title. I don't deserve it!"

"Aw c'mon, there's no need to be humble about it!" Summer laughed. "You should totally show off more. After all, you're the youngest person in the militia to be promoted by big sis'! You're so lucky, Camilla. Being able to spend the whole day with big sis' must be one of the coolest things ever."

The Vice-Captain squirmed in her seat. "N-No, you're wrong. There's nothing lucky about me. I think Captain Rose wasn't thinking clearly that day…"

She's right.

Big sis' should have celebrated Camilla's promotion with a big party!

"And nineteen isn't that young, Summer." She added and then blinked a moment after. "And…you said you were on a _quest_? And you needed _my_ help?"

"Yup!" She said, presenting the brown envelope. "Professor Pigeon told me to give this to big sis'. The school's combat equipment is faulty and holding back my heroic potential. So, he's asking the militia to go shopping in the next town."

"I…see."

"And since you're her second-in-command, you must know where she is!" She concluded.

"Oh…um I don't know how to put this, Summer, but…you see…" Camilla turned to stare out of the window. The sudden battering of raindrops against the windows filled the room with _pitter-patter._ The gate swung open and more people, both warriors and passerby villagers alike, stepped into the hall to avoid the rain.

"…I d-don't _exactly_ know where the Captain is."

"Eh?" Summer accidentally crumbled the sugar cube between her fingers.

Camilla played with the rim of her scarf. "I'm sorry, Summer. Your older sister said that – _EEEP!_ "

Thunder boomed in the distance. A flash of light came like a rip in the inky canvas sky and briefly illuminated the hall for a brief second.

Although it was common to associate lightning and thunder to rain, this one sounded strange. It had roared with an unnatural fury, almost as if nature itself had nothing to do with its creation.

More chatter could be heard now.

"Ah…." Camilla recomposed herself, placing a steady hand over her chest.

Summer nudged her teacup towards Camilla to which she responded by pouring more tea into her sugar filled cup. "So, what did big sis' say?"

"Hm? Oh right, the Captain…" She offered the cup back to Summer. "She said she was going out for a _walk_."

For some reason, the tea tasted bittersweet.

* * *

 **There you guys have it…chapter 7 (leans back on chair). This was interesting to write for sure, and probably the longest. I've had Argentum planned since July. I'm surprised no one pointed out Summer's sister from ch5 after I revealed her identity in ch6. Also,** _ **Mr. Knight**_ **returns. You know, the guy from ch2? I think that's called Chekhov's gun.** **Think.**

 **That's the thing about multi-perspective chapters. Events occurring at the same time but different places. I hope I pulled it off well. The last thing I want is to confuse my readers. But to clarify just in case: clear weather when Summer was a school. The moment it rained was when Summer was drinking tea in the hall and the beowolves attacked the huntsman at the territory.**

 **I feel ashamed of myself as a writer. You guys really enjoy this story. Your support is appreciated and makes me continue writing. I just reread this fic. And you know what I saw? Grammar mistakes: misplaced apostrophes, missing words, it's ridiculous. I don't care if it's small, I will redownload the chapter just to correct it. I guess after rereading 3 times, I'm still bound for mistakes. Yeah, don't hesitate to call me out.**

 **Also, Littleroot Town theme has got to be the most chill and nostalgic thing I ever listened to when I was writing about Argentum.**


	8. In which the Rain clears

Have you ever thought things couldn't get any worse and that you were simply overreacting? That all you had to do was look at the bigger picture and realize that there was nothing to worry about the whole time? Well, that's what I tried to do after my pack swarmed the lone knight huntsman. I looked at the bigger picture.

And immediately realized I how utterly and hopelessly screwed I was.

An explosion of lightning erupted. The sound of the rain became mute compared to the thunderous roar that the knight's spear had created. I felt a hollow chill run through my spine as a wave of heat rushed past me. The attacking beowolves had been completely eviscerated to the point where not even their ashes remained. Brilliant golden sparks danced around the huntsman, their spear raised towards the crying sky with their feet planted in an even larger crater.

The air was heavy and the humidity pressing down upon me was suffocating. The scent of rain was dark and heady.

Fucking bullshit weapon. I call hacks! I refuse to believe that a physical embodiment of a lightning bolt could exist in Remnant. I-It had to be their semblance. It must have been! Which means that he can't spam that same AOE attack repeatedly without physical consequence.

His attack had made quite a dent in my pack's population, but he was still greatly outnumbered. The beowolves were caught in a daze at the knight's semblance, but an echoing howl from one of its members sent them back into their frenzy. The huntsman readied himself into a fighting stance. He spaced his feet apart and spun his spear until it was angled between both gauntlets. Stop staring at me when you're doing that!

As the second wave of grimm closed in on the knight, I was half-expecting him to unleash his semblance once more. Instead, he cleaved away at his enemies. He swung his spear, sparks flying through the rain as the beowolves were cut into two. He utilised his momentum created from his weapon with the utmost proficiency. He shuffled his position, twirling the spear to strike down a group of pouncing beowolves from his side, only to repeat the same fluid motions from the beowolves behind him. The huntsman didn't seem to be hindered wearing a full suit of armor. He sidestepped a feral swing and countered with his own decapitating blow.

His movements were precise and calculated, his attacks, fierce and destructive.

I felt uneasy, a sense of dread flooded my chest. All I could do was stand there, trembling, as the grimm were being culled. I know the animated series designed huntsmen and huntresses to be the badass slayers of grimm, but I didn't think they would be this powerful. Even in battle, I still couldn't sense any emotion coming from the knight. There was no insane twisted joy of killing my pack nor was there any fear of defeat. He was emotionless, a machine designed to fulfil his one purpose.

The rest of my pack rushed in. A flood of black and white blinded my view of the knight's relentless assault. It wasn't hard to notice that the huntsman wasn't having any difficulties dealing with the increase in fodder. My pack started dying much faster actually. My territory had become a bizarre portrait with strokes of scattering lightning and ascending ashes from above. Body parts and even the bodies themselves of my pack members were flung in the air during the ongoing chaos. The still image had burned into my memory.

Lightning crackled once more.

Snarls, howls, roars. These are the sounds that I hear from all around me.

The destruction was slowly making its way towards me. The bastard was willing to cut down all those monsters just to reach me!

I need to run.

The doubt in my mind has become increasingly clear. The beowolves stood no chance. My pack was going to die, slaughtered to the non-existent void by the huntsman. With my current form, I can clear distances in mere minutes. I'll transform back into my pup form and lay low for awhile-

The torso of an extra crispy beowolf lands next to me. Its Essence begins to make its way towards me.

…Ah fuck.

I know what will happen next and I can't help but laugh at the ensuing irony. Even if the amount absorbed was minuscule, I felt it. God, that damn state of _ecstasy_! Calm down. Fuck, calm down! M-My claws were twitching, yearning to slash and rip apart. Rip apart who or what, exactly? _They_ … _my hands_ didn't care; anything would have worked! My heart, full of fear and sudden confidence, is beating faster. My breathing comes out as short and frantic through my bared fangs, rainwater mixed with saliva practically running down my plated jaw.

The knight's thunder roared once more across the territory.

I don't need this.

The jumbled cacophony of my pack fighting desperately against the huntsman had become an awe-inspiring musical. The lyrics, simultaneously mute and loud, were the same and kept pounding at my soul, _"Rise up and fight. Rise up and fight. Rise up and fight…!"_

I will die if I give in, dammit! But despite my sound logic, my body refused to listen. I was trapped in an internal conflict with myself. An instinctual battle of ' _Fight or Flight'._ And right now, _Fight_ was winning.

I need to _suppress_ it. This…This burning desire, this bottomless craving, this insatiable blood-thirst! " **Arrrrggghhhhhh…."**

 _ **Claim what is yours.**_

Oh, hell no!

I don't need encouragement right now! Shut up-

" **AAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH** " I howled in shock.

Son of a bitch!

A-A beam of golden light shot through me.

It instantly tore through the crowds of beowolves and a tidal wave of indescribable heat sears through the left side of my body. The rain's effort to soothe the heat had no effect. My mind concedes to the anguishing torment, unable to register an explanation of my body's condition. Without meaning to, my body's composure crumbles to its knees all while the pain burns and radiates.

I can't feel my left arm. I lean my neck to inspect the damage-

O-Oh.

Hah… hah…. It's gone.

My left arm was gone, completely vaporized, leaving behind nothing but a grossly steaming shoulder stump. My remaining hand trembles as I try to cover the wound with it – to maybe try and ease the burning. But I freeze mid-way. The smell of burnt flesh was nauseating. If I could vomit, I would, but I don't; _I can't._

I glance up and my blood freezes. For a single second, everything comes to a chilling halt in time. The huntsman stood a measurable distance from me now, his cape frozen in mid-air from the equal force of his lightning attack. His spear was thrusted outward with a glaring shine and silver streams of smoke. The huntsman had parted a sea of monsters to create a straight path to pierce my heart.

Time resumes. Rain continues to fall, melted bodies are dropping and disappearing.

He readies his spear and charges straight at me. My pack collapses his path, but it's pointless. At best, they can stall for a minute or two until the inevitable. I…I've accepted my fate now. I can't see any way to overcome him. I could run, but what good would stalling do? I lost an arm to a single attack for fuck sakes! I stared bitterly as my pack members were killed without effort.

 _ **Gluttonize.**_

More Essence is channelled into me. The pain becomes numb suddenly. My desires are stronger than ever before now. Emotions swirl around me, feelings I'm all too aware of. Regret, fear, denial, but there was one growing emotion that was the most distinguishable. It's screaming out at me, deafening every corner of my defeated mind. I have a glimpse of my memories in this world. There wasn't much to recall, after all, I had only reincarnated for a few months. How unfair to have it end here…

The huntsman breaks through the blockade of beowolves. He dashes at me, the clanging of his armor growing louder by the second. He pulls his spear back in preparation for the killing blow.

 _ **For you are…**_

He's sent flying across the territory after I hurled my fist straight into his chest-plate. An unpleasant screeching sound was made when he stabbed his spear into the ground, his momentum slowing down as the knight comes to a skidding stop. His stare instils an unknown fear into me but I don't care anymore.

I'm fucking livid right now.

I realize now that all I needed was a little push. Something to put me out my state of panic and truly come to understand the situation I was in. Yes, I understand clearly now.

I snarled, its ferocity void of any hint of humanity.

You think you can just come here and wreck my _territory,_ slaughter most of my _farm_ – everything I've built up! – and then expect to take my life because I'm the leader? Sorry, but I'm not going to give you the satisfaction. You're going to have to try a little harder than that!

Hmm, strange…I don't feel any pain. Has the sheer adrenaline nullified my sense of pain? Wait, my arm. Holy shit it's regenerating, my left arm is regenerating! All the Essence of the fallen grimm, it's being used to repair my form! A fiery shape had taken form, expanding and restructuring itself in a strange mixture of flames and shadows. My left arm had completely reformed as if it had never been destroyed in the first place. I curled my new claw in and out, elation running through my veins with every motion. A maddening grin was forming between my fangs.

And just to make sure _morale_ was at its peak, I leaned back and released my bellowing command howl.

 **Kill him.**

That seemed to rile everyone up if the joining of wolf howls was any indication. The huntsman, unfazed and emotionless as ever, simply kicked the spear out of the ground and spun it back into ready position. As the final remnants of my pack charge forward, I adopted a runner's starting position with my claws and feet planted into the soil. I licked my teeth in anticipation for the perfect moment where I would be obstructed from his field of view.

…There!

I pumped my legs, instantly gaining speed from that single push. I darted past the blurred beowolves, both alive and dead, my hands and feet flying over mud and stone. Cold moist air bit into my lungs. My mind was racing faster than my accelerating body, thinking of all the possible ways I could strike. In mere seconds, I had closed the between the distracted huntsman. I quite literally tore straight through a beowolf into two to catch the knight off guard.

He was a second too late to readjust his spear's position from his previous kill, we both knew that and I took advantage of it. I swung my claw upwards with the strength that would easily shred his armor. But the armor doesn't break. I know I hit him, the force of my attack sent him up. If anything, it felt like I scratched a brick wall with a kitchen knife!

I see – so this is what damaging aura feels like.

He bends his back and plants his spear down into an unfortunate beowolf to flip himself back onto his feet. He takes down two more beowolves from the right with a quick sweep. But with the way his helmet is leaning in my direction, I can tell he's more cautious of my presence this time. Finding another opening was going to be hard.

Good thing I'm creative.

I sunk my claws into the flesh of a beowolf beside me and I flung it at him. He takes a step back and disposes the flying grimm. I take this chance to close in on him and unleash a flurry of swift attacks. He pivots to the right to avoid the first strike, then twirled his spear block the second. The huntsman had an answer to all my attacks. It didn't matter how fast or powerful I swung, he would either sidestep my devastating blows or intercept it with that damn spear.

Even with the help of my pack members, he was still able to hold his own and even managed to land decisive counter strikes to deal with them. Jesus Christ, it was like trying to fight against a spinning helicopter blade!

" **GGGGGGRRRRR…."** It frustrated me to no end. My chest tightened with anger. Fucking hell, just stand still and take the hit already!

I hissed in pain when I brought an arm up to protect myself from his side-long swipe. A loud snap was heard when the metal shaft made impact followed by a searing sensation of being burned. It didn't make sense! The blade of the spear didn't even touch me; I was well within close range for a spear to be useless. So why…?

The knight ended our exchange when he delivered a mighty kick to my stomach. Some of my ribs shattered, I'm sure of it. I coughed out all the air in my lungs as I tumbled a distance away. I shrug off the pain, feeling the soothing numbing from the Essence around me. I regained my bearings and paused. I couldn't help but let out quick laugh about my ability. I stared at the graveyard in front of me, the body count increasing by the second. So many decaying corpses scattered about, so much fluttering Essence to consume. It's ironic, really.

Everything _you've_ done to kill me, the countless beowolves _you've_ slain, it will be the sole reason _I_ will triumph over you.

So, go on huntsman! Do your job! Embrace your hunt!

Strike without mercy! Kill them! Kill them all for me! Let me reap all the benefits!

We trade a brief stare at each other; my crimson with his empty void. He pulls the spear back. It charges with energy. A bright light is beginning to be emitted and azure sparks gather around him. He thrusts the spear forward, releasing the crying lightning beam straight through my stomach. The pain is instantaneous as if my entire body was set aflame. Everything grows numb and I lose my sense of balance. I dig my feet to remain upright while my upper body slumps forward without intention. My arms hang limp, motionless by my sides. I see a perfect hole of where my stomach area used to be in my peripheral vision.

…Good job.

" **Hah…hah…hah…"** But despite sustaining such a heavy injury, my grin stubbornly remains.

A trail of Essence joins together and fill the hole.

But like I said, you're going to have to try a little harder than that. The huntsman lowers his spear slightly and looks around the battlefield. So, you understand now? That so long as we fight here, the place of my fallen pack members, with their ashes endlessly dispersing – I will not die. I _can't_ die.

I am invincible here.

Thunder boomed in the distance. The rainfall doesn't let up.

He pulls his spear back once more, energy starting to build up and crackle in the weapon. He leans forward, stretching one leg back and his free hand forward on the ground. His cape flutters in the wind. Steam slowly pours out of the knight's helmet and I can't help but feel a _tiny_ smidge of doubt in the back of my mind. I force it down without hesitation. I get on all fours.

So, you intend to put everything you have into one final charge, huh? Only poetic I do the same. _Just_ _don't blame me for cheating._

We unleash everything we have into our limbs. The charge is instant. The ground beneath us is shattered, clouds of dust and wild debris are kicked up behind us as we approach each other. The remaining beowolves are blown away. The timing of my finishing blow had to be perfect.

Face to face, the knight lunges his energized spear at me.

Time slows down in that instance. The individual raindrops come to a standstill.

The spear is 30 centimetres away from me now. It's glowing white from the overflowing energy it's emitting. The huntsman has angled his weapon to obliterate my head. Perfect.

20 centimetres…

10 centimetres….

5 centimetres…

Golden sparks are beginning to form at the tip. It's about to fire!

…The time is now!

 **I command this body to revert to its original state!**

Time resumes at its normal pace.

The spear unleashes a powerful beam of lightning at the same moment that my body melts into black smoke. The heat emitted from the beam is immense, even in my pup form. Shockwaves are sent through my left ear. I take two steps closer until I'm standing in front of his feet, and not a second later the lighting beam dissipates. No time to waste!

 **I order this body of mine to transform into my Alpha form!**

It's over, I win!

 _SHORYUKEN!_

My massive fist makes direct contact with the lower region of the huntsman's helmet. The sheer force is enough to disrupt the raindrops, causing them to scatter mid-air. The huntsman is sent sky-rocketing up through the sky until he's nothing more than a white speck. There was a small * _puff*_ effect when his body broke through a rain cloud. _~Damn~_ I don't even my own strength when I'm determined.

But still… I did it.

I actually did it!

" **HA HA HA HA HA!"** I laughed and howled at my victory. My pack, whatever was left of it anyways, joined in on my outcome. I outstretched both arms towards the dark sky and proceeded to give the flying huntsman the bird with both hands. Hah! Fuck you and bullshit spear-

Wait… what's that rattling sound?

I look down and realize that the sound was coming from the huntsman's spear. He must have dropped it after I sent him into the stratosphere. Hold up, it's vibrating. Why is it vibrating? Spears aren't supposed to vibrate!

The spear begins to slowly levitate to my surprise and then it suddenly shoots itself into the sky, straight into the unknown beyond the rain clouds.

W-What's going on?

An eerie stillness falls over what's left of my territory. And in the silence, came a deep crackle of low thunder, rolling across the entire forest to the raindrops itself. The crackling doesn't stop. It continues, increasing in volume and anger with each passing second. For a moment, everything stops. Even the wind becomes mute. The dark clouds above emitted a golden glow that was slowly building up in intensity and brightness.

What's happening?

N-No…

Please no!

I already won!

I already won, god damn it! Don't do this to me!

An enormous streak of burning gold splits the sky. Its power alone causes the clouds above me to forcibly disperse and open in a massive circle revealing the eye of the furious storm. A blinding light washes over my territory, but it wasn't the welcoming sunlight. No, it was much, much worse.

I could feel it.

The euphoria of my supposed victory and total self-confidence crumbling into nothing at the mere sight.

The only thing that remains is a mountain of despair.

Above the parted shadowy clouds was a giant lightning bolt aimed directly at me. I-It…it was his spear. I chuckle dryly at the realization. This was the true form of his weapon, his true capabilities as a hunter. It's funny in a twisted sense of perspective. I truly never stood a chance in the first place!

No…

No no no no no no no no NO NO NO NO NO NO NO **NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO….!**

That's not fair!

The lightning bolt is increasing in size – son of a bitch! – he's already thrown it!

The light and crackling have become worse. Shit!

I – I need to escape. I- c-can make it if I run now! Y-yeah… I-I-I….

I broke into a mad desperate dash into the forest – hell, anywhere but here!

But I'm too late.

I was engulfed in a white blanket of agony.

* * *

 **(Summer POV)**

"…And then Professor Pigeon gave me a B+! Camilla, can you believe it? I got a B+!" Summer cheered.

"T-That's great, Summer. I'm sure your sister is going to be proud of you when you tell her that." Camilla responded, taking a petite sip from her cup.

The Vice-Captain and Hero had spent their time in the militia hall casually drinking tea and engaging in conversation from an assortment of topics. Most of which involved her great feats of heroism. Though, Camilla had been mostly attentive to her brilliant tales and would only provide bits of feedback at the end. Her patience and listening skills were out of this world. Summer could see why big sis' chose Camilla to be her right-hand woman!

Camilla had suggested that Summer could entrust the letter to her until big sis' got back. She politely declined, of course. It was sweet of her, really it was, but it was still raining outside. Ah, and she really wanted to confront the evil _Villain_ too! Besides, this was her quest. Summer had to be the one to hand-deliver this super important letter.

…Plus, she had a legitimate reason to see her older sister while she was working. Having the Hero be escorted out of the hall for just wanting to say, " _hi big sis'!_ " was so humiliating!

"Summer, are you alright? Your teacup is shaking."

"Huh? O-oh, sorry about that! I was lost in my thoughts." She laughed it off. "I just wish she'd hurry up with her walk and come back already."

Summer didn't care if she was being impatient. They were almost running out of tea and she still hasn't shown up!

Camilla scratched the back of her head with a nervous chuckle. "Haha…well you know the Captain. She probably got caught up with-

Just then the gates were pushed open with a still creak. She held her breath with wide eyes when the individual stepped inside. The atmosphere grew silent. All activity and chatter in the hall stopped, their focus was directed at the silver knight walking towards Summer. The snow-white cloth against their back swished left and right with every clanging step. In Argentum's militia, it symbolized the highest authority with the right to command. The Captain's cape.

"C-Captain Rose!" a random warrior broke the silence with a sudden salute of respect.

"Captain Rose!"

"Captain!"

Soon the entire hall joined in, both villagers and warriors alike. The chilling air had ceased to exist and was replaced with the natural homely feeling from before; albeit it was a bit rowdier. A crowd had formed around the Captain, blocking her destination. Summer couldn't help but pout at the scene.

"C-Captain Rose, welcome back!" a warrior shouted.

"Captain Rose, your armor is dripping wet! Here, let me dry that for you!" Another villager yelled.

"How dare you disrespect the Captain with that filthy rag!" Loud protest from the crowd was heard. "Use my shirt instead!"

"No, use mine!"

" _Dah' fak' did you say?!_ "

Camilla let out a long, audible sigh. Summer agreed whole-heartedly.

This was going to take awhile.

The attention was expected, not just because of her rank. The people of Argentum truly had the highest respect for her older sister. After all, she was the strongest warrior in the entire village! They say that big sis' was as fast as lightning and her attacks were as loud as thunder. She took her responsibility for the safety of the village with high regard, making sure that the structure of the militia was well maintained and organized. Everyone trusted her orders, for, without a doubt, they believed her actions were for the best of this village and everyone in it.

To the people of Argentum, she was known as Captain Rose.

" _The Spear of Justice."_

Summer watched as big sis' was settling the crowd down. She couldn't hear what she was saying due to the chatter of the crowd. She leaned both elbows on the table while idly tapping her boot on the floorboards. Camilla placed a hand on her shoulder and gave the Hero a somber smile.

Summer must have gotten lost in one of her many heroic daydreams since before she knew it, the metal clanging of her footsteps had become awfully louder. She whirled her head and a bright smile broke on her face.

"C-Captain R-Ros- _ow_!" Camilla bit her tongue and stumbled a bit to rise from her seat. Her cheeks had a cherry shade.

"Vice-Captain…" She acknowledged her, the voice was hollow and metallic from the helmet. She inspected the table. "I see you've taken my suggestion on getting to know our comrades better. Serving tea is quite an excellent idea."

"R-Really?"

"…Although your execution could use some work. To be frank, your location is terrible."

"O-oh…I-I see." She cast a downwards expression.

Big sis' patted Camilla over her shoulder guard. "Don't feel bad. You tried to improve yourself, so that's good enough for today. Besides, your plan didn't end up in a complete failure."

"Y-Your too k-kind, Captain…"

She placed her spear, _Gungnir,_ against the side of the bench and took a seat beside Summer."Hello little sister, what brings you here today?"

"Big sis'!" She squealed with delight resembling a puppy yearning for attention. She quickly composed herself and spoke with a serious, heroic, tone. "I'm on a super important quest today. Professor Pigeon told me to give this to you."

She slid the brown envelope over.

"I see." She reached for her helmet. "Well, let me just take this off first."

… _*CLICK*_

"Hmmm," Big sis' hummed through the helmet.

 _*CLICK*_

 _*CLICK*_

"…You have got to be kidding me right now." She exhaled, though it sounded like a boiling kettle. Her hands were still locked over her helmet.

"Um…sis?"

 _*CLICK*_

"I-Is something w-wrong, Captain?" Camilla inquired.

"….." The Captain placed her hands together on the table and stared at in silence. "…Camilla?"

"Y-yes!" Her posture stiffened.

"I-It's stuck. My helmet is stuck again." Her voice was suddenly quiet.

"Oh. Don't w-worry, I'll get it fixed." Camilla got up from her seat and pulled an arrow from her quiver leaning beside her bow. She approached the statue knight and inspected the Captain's helmet. "No wonder you can't take it off, the bolt's been forcibly tightened. Did you hit your helmet with something hard recently, Captain Rose?"

The grip between her hands tightened, they both could hear steel rattling.

"…That damn alpha." Was her only response. Camilla raised a brow at Summer, but all she could do was shrug.

"O-Okay. Let me loosen it for you." Camilla fidgeted the tip of the arrow against the helmet's bolt. What an odd alternative for a screwdriver. "T-That should do it."

Big sis' reached for her helmet once more and just like Camilla said, the helmet finally came off.

"Ahh…" Big sis' took in a large gulp of air. Her blonde hair was kept in a neat ponytail which bounced to the side as she flicked her head. Her posture was strict and held high. Beads of sweat trailed down her face, an obvious sign of intense physical activity.

The men of the militia claimed that her older sister was an untouchable beauty on the battlefield. She had no idea what they were talking about. Wasn't that just another way of calling her pretty? The adults claimed that once she got older, everything would make much more sense for her. _Pft_ ¸ what's there to understand?

"Thank you, Camilla." Her voice was clear now, no longer trapped in a metal tunnel. She opened the envelope and read its contents.

"N-Not a problem! Um…w-would you like some tea?" Camilla asked. She nodded in response. Camilla began preparing her cup. "So how was your walk, Captain?"

"Hm?" Her glaring silver eyes drifted away from the brown letter and on to her Vice-Captain. "It was fine, I guess. I found a huge nest of beowolves."

Camilla coughed. "W-What?! You found w-what?! Should I go get the warriors prepared?"

Big sis' blinked. "Ah, no need for that Camilla. I've already taken care of it."

"Wait, what do you mean by 'taken care of it'?" Summer asked, leaning against her sister for answers. "Did you defeat them all?!"

"Indeed, I did, little sister." The corner of her mouth curved upwards. "I ended up destroying part of the forest in doing so, unfortunately."

"That's so cool!" she threw her arms in air from the hype.

"Hah hah, it's nothing. I'm just doing my job, that's all there is to it." She took a sip of her tea, closing her eyes and taking in the calming element. "Though I must admit it was quite strange."

"What is, sis?"

The sound of rain drumming against the windows finally stopped. Villagers and a few warriors began to exit the building.

"Well for starters there were twice the amount of beowolves compared to the average pack size. Quite the large gathering. And then there was the alpha beowolf that led the pack. It was nothing I had ever faced before. And I've faced many monstrosities; this beowolf was a first."

 _Erk!_ Summer felt a quick jolt run through her body. Did her sister encounter the _Villain_? "Um, what m-made this beowolf so special, exactly? Were they able to transform at will?"

Her sister placed a hand on Summer's head and ruffled her hair. The sensation of the gauntlet's metal was cold, yet it somehow brought a warm feeling in her chest. "You have quite the imagination, Summer. No, what made it such an odd foe was its regenerative abilities."

Summer's shoulders relaxed. Oh, so it was probably just a different special beowolf. The only thing Summer was aware of was the _Villain's_ transformation capabilities.

Thank god.

A-After all, only _she_ was allowed to defeat them!

Camilla gasped. "Regenerative abilities, Captain? As in, it could heal its injuries?"

She nodded through her tea. "Correct, Camilla. I saw it regrow an entire arm with my own eyes. It also possessed an incredible reaction time. It managed to dodge _Gungnir's_ lightning blast at close quarters. But I suppose it's expected given its status. In the end, I had to use my semblance to ensure there was _nothing_ for the alpha to regenerate from."

 _~S-So cool~_

The Vice-Captain clapped at her tale. "As expected from Argentum's _Spear of Justice_!"

Captain Rose gently placed her teacup down. "…I'll say it before and I'll say it again, I don't really like that title as funny as it sounds. I'm just an ordinary warrior who happens to do their job well." She sighed. "The things I do to boost morale…"

She turned to Summer with a grin. "But you don't see me that way, do you, little sister?"

"Nope!"

The world may see this woman in armor and spear in hand as some unstoppable protector.

But to Summer Rose, the woman sitting beside her was just her big sister.

The coolest big sister ever.

July Rose!

"By the way," July spoke aloud. "Do you know where the sugar is? I can't seem to find it on the table."

Hearing this, Summer choked on her tea.

* * *

 **(A!P#A POV)**

I didn't think it was physically possible, truly I didn't.

I became the literal embodiment of the phrase, " _Feeling like absolute shit."_

I am not overexaggerating.

M-My legs – my entire fucking lower torso was gone. Lost in that damn explosion. Even my tail was gone. Hah Hah. Isn't it ironic? I'm upset that I lost my _grimm_ tail!

By all accounts, I should be dead.

Blotches of my fur and flesh had been burned away, charred and numb. Most of my bone plating was shattered; hell, even a large chunk of my skull was missing. I've been reduced to desperately crawling with my arms. I don't know how long I've been doing this or why I haven't bothered to stop and wait for the sweet release of death. Guess I must be extremely desperate to stay alive.

The only good thing I could possibly think of, aside from surviving, of course, was that the extreme heat produced from the explosion had cauterized all my wounds. That and provide third degree burns all over my broken body.

My breathing is slow and unsteady. My chest burns every time I take a breath. It was a suffocating feeling. I hated dragging my body against the thick terrain. Despite the branching trees, I could feel Remnant's moon shining on me like a searchlight. It makes me feel vulnerable. Weak.

Paranoia had taken a hold of me. Every sound, whether it was a simple cricket or a rustle of leaves, would freeze my skin. I feel like I'm being chased. No, "hunted" would be the better word. That knight is going to show up any second now and finish me off. Who's really the monster here, me or him?

I need to hide. I could transform back and find a hiding spot, but I'm scared my injuries would carry over. I wouldn't last a single night as a severely damaged pup. So, all I can do is crawl and pray for a miracle.

To my surprise, my prayer was answered.

Up ahead I see an Ursa resting beside a tree. So fat and delicate, lying blissfully on its stomach with its neck exposed to me. My heartbeat quickens and my breathing becomes frantic. I crawl faster, biting back the sudden increase in pain in my chest. Please life, give me a break. Don't magically "poof" this grimm out of existence. I really need its corpse to survive!

By the time I reached the grimm, I soon realized that I don't have the strength to lift my arms anymore. Even if I could, I doubt I had the strength to tear its throat open. I've worked my torn muscles beyond exhaustion.

Damn it all! I'm so close.

So fucking close!

If only I had something sharp – oh.

I contemplated my next decision. They say that when a person is pushed into a corner, they're willing to do anything to push back. Desperation is a cruel and amazing act in both ways. If I don't do it, I'm as good as dead. But just the thought of the act makes me consider if my humanity will remain.

… _Screw it._

I shut off all thoughts.

I sunk my fangs into its neck with an animalistic scowl in my eyes. Its flesh was thick and raw at first but then transitioned into a soft, squishy texture with a familiar liquid oozing into my mouth. The feeling is foreign and I can't help but feel disgusted with myself. The Ursa reacted immediately. It awoke in a state of fury, crying out in pain, and flailed its body furiously. But I dug deep and held on for my life.

And soon came the taste of its meat. It burned in my jaws, its ashes trailing down my throat. Blissful warmth fills my body. The Ursa's struggles slow down until it collapses, stiff and frozen. I should wait and let its body completely dissolve.

But I don't.

I inch forward with my gaping jaw and take another bite. And another. And another. All while its corpse emitted Essence.

My tail swayed back and forth from my finished meal. I curl my reformed feet inward, taking in the rough sensation of dirt. My body was restored. But the feeling of consuming Essence was different this time. The hunger and joy were missing, replaced with a sense of bitter warmth only.

I dig my claws into the soil and snarled.

That damn huntsman.

When I get my claws on him I'll….

I will definitely….!

….

 _Sigh._

I reverted to my original form. My short legs are uneasy for some reason and my walk becomes a jittery wobble as I disappear into a bush. Oddly enough I missed sleeping next to my rock. I missed possessing a feeling of superiority with the presence of my pack. Ah right, I guess I'm no longer considered an "alpha" anymore. Can't control a pack if there isn't one anymore, heh heh.

This is my reality.

I was an idiot to think otherwise, but I guess I tried my best to deny the natural order of this world. I knew the day would come. And yet I blew it. There were so many other ways I could have dealt with the huntsman. Mauling him down when he was vulnerable was the most logical approach. But instead, I _chose_ to launch him into the air instead!

I…I don't think I have it in me to take a human's life. I know, I know. That line of morality will get me killed. But if I do it, I would have to discard my humanity. What would that make me? A monster?

How ironic.

To be honest, I hated the concept of change. It's terrifying to venture into the unknown. In my past life, I had always followed a linear path, or at least I thought I did. I thought that so long as I did everything in a similar fashion, nothing would harm me. The reward I got for that was death by falling helicopter. I realize that I've been trying to do the same thing in this world too. Deep down I was afraid of exploring this vast forest, to find and kill new species of grimm to evolve. Instead, I stuck with beowolves and the occasional ursa, content with killing low-tier fodder. And what do I get? A huntsman with a literal lightning bolt in their hand, that's what!

I shut my eyes. My breaths are deep and relaxed.

…But still.

I can change now.

For the sake of survival, I _will_ change.

I no longer have a territory to stay in nor a pack to maintain. I'm free to do whatever I want!

S-So that's what I'll do.

 _I'll kill every single grimm in this forest._

I'll become stronger.

Strong enough to become a myth, a legend. Strong enough to become the boogeyman for future children bedtime stories. Strong enough that no huntsman or huntress would even dare hunt me down!

I'll become the greatest beowolf that Remnant will ever know!

" **Hah..hah…hah…!"** I laughed at my self-declaration.

… _Shit._

I think I've been spending too much time with Summer.

* * *

 **Whoops! I accidentally wrote another long chapter!**

 **So, I just realized I'm getting close to 1k followers. That's…I can't think of the words to write lol. What surprises me is that it's an OC fic of all things. Are you people sadists? Do you enjoy MC's suffering? Speaking of MC, I can't use "Alpha" anymore for POV since you know…Captain July Rose's** _ **walk**_ **.**

 **Yes, I'm aware her name is a month.**

 **I think it's finally time. Next chapter: MC's name and other stuff. SPOILER ALERT: it's NOT** _ **Lupis,**_ _ **Fenrir**_ _ **, Wolf, Beo, Doge, or Mike Hunt.**_


	9. The Girl Who Shut Her Eyes from Reality

**REMEMBER TO READ NORMALLY – DO NOT READ FROM THE BOTTOM.**

 **So…It's been like 4 months since my last update? Right, so as an apology for the hiatus I present to you a 10k chapter (Which to be honest would still be 10k if I had updated regularly). And let me tell you right now that I'm going to try and put a cut off at 3.5k words per chapter because this was a roller coaster to write!**

* * *

"…And that marks section three complete." Summer whispered to herself while finishing the final touches to her map in the small notebook with her pencil. She blew a stray strand of hair away from her face as a breeze brushed by. The leaves from the forest branches above her rustled. "And still no sign of the _Villain."_ Summer sighed, leaning the back of her head against the tree.

It may not be the _entire_ forest but Summer should be feeling proud of herself for mapping out the forest beyond Argentum. She had passed through this place enough times to notice the familiarities and certain landmarks. If the Hero was going to be fighting the _Villain_ in the coming days then she might as well become adjusted with the battlefield.

She stared at the sketches, flipping through random pages of her book with nothing specific in mind. There were only a few blank pages remaining; most of its contents were filled with her works of creative speeches and heroic scenarios. _'Ah, I'm so bored.'_

Unfortunately, mapping out the forest seemed to be the _only_ thing she'd been doing for the past weeks now. Ever since that rainy day, Summer just could not find her archenemy. They just vanished without a trace. There was the possibility that they had met their end from another hero but Summer quickly crossed out the foolish notion. Destiny had their back, just like it did for her. After all, they were part of her _story_. The _Villain_ was not allowed to fight any other hero besides Summer Rose: the soon to be greatest of them all!

Summer bit her lip out of frustration.

Now that she thought about it, weren't they always the one to find her? Summer couldn't recall a time where she was the one to catch the _Villain_ off guard. What do they even do when they're not struggling against her sheer heroics? Scheming? Sleeping? Taking Evil-101 classes?

 _'Not only that but hasn't it been quiet lately?'_

Normally, this would be the perfect time for a couple of grimm to show up and try to eat her. Big emphasis on _'try_ ' – what with the whole " _She's the protagonist"_ spoken by the manifestation of destiny. Then the _Villain_ would appear, the other grimm would stroll away, and the two would continue their fated clash as Hero and Villain. As it should be.

She stifled a dry chuckle.

Funny how encountering grimm was part of the normal routine. Nowadays, her time in the forest was filled with nothing but the melancholy of wandering. But still…

"Where did all the grimm disappear to?" She pondered out loud while idly tapping her sword's hilt. Her gaze became distant.

If this was just for a few days then it could have been played off as Hero's luck. One week and she would have concluded that July had gone off on one of her supposed "walks". But for this long without having seen a single grimm? No, as crazy as it sounded, that wasn't right.

This uneasy feeling; this was the same feeling she had on the day she first encountered the _Villain_. But if that's the case, then that must mean…!

Her eyes widened upon her brilliant deduction.

The sudden disappearance of the _Villain_ and the local grimm…. there's no way that could just be a coincidence!

How could she have been so blind? It all makes sense now!

They're obviously recruiting the grimm into their own army! "I-I don't believe it! My day-dream actually came tru-

She forced a brutal cough.

"Ahem…I-I mean _my reasoning skills_ have reached the only logical conclusion." The more she thought about it, the more apparent it became. Obviously fighting the Hero alone was too much for them even with their transformation. So, if they couldn't take her down using quality, then the most rational solution was to use quantity instead!

But with this new-found information, what should she do now? Telling the rest of the village wouldn't play out well if her repeated attempts at explaining grimm killing other grimm were any indication. They'd definitely laugh it off as usual. Heck, Summer was certain that July would lecture her on "controlling her imagination" as well!

"Destiny, are you listening?" Summer said. "It's me, your lovable main character. I know this is going to sound really stupid, but could you – maybe, possibly? – give me a small nudge in the right direction? I'm not asking for much. Just give me a hint where my nemesis is?"

…?

"I figured…" Her cheeks grew warm. Summer brought her hood up to hide the embarrassment. She sighed and pushed off the tree. "Well, I should probably head ba- EEP!"

 **"…aaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRH"**

In that very moment, a large black figure came hurtling through the trees on her left. The distortion of the monstrous cry, snapping lumber and tearing terrain had simultaneously merged together. Her eyes shut from the incoming dust. She brought her arms up to shield herself from the flying debris.

"W-What the heck was that?" She said through a coughing fit. Summer squinted her eyes, trying to peer through the lingering dust. They widened when she made out the glowing red orbs and creature-like silhouette.

No way…could it be?

The fog cleared and Summer found herself a short distance away from an Ursa Major. A quite injured one at that; if the signs of various slash wounds and missing arm were any indication. She gasped at the sight. Though it wasn't exactly out of fear.

' _Oh my god, it actually worked! Finally! A creature of grimm!'_ Summer squealed in her mind with a bright smile on her face.

That sudden happiness was short-lived, however. Despite its injuries, the ursa lifted its head and made direct eye contact with her. Her smile died when she remembered the natural food chain of Remnant.

" **Gggrrrrrr…"**

"O-oh right. A c-creature of grimm…" Summer said, finally realizing the implication. She stumbled until her back was pressed against a tree. The Ursa lifted its bleeding body and began to slowly limp towards her. Her hands began to tremble. Her heart-rate quickened. Whether it was through her brilliant cunning or desperation (Summer was leaning for the former), she released her holy sword from her scabbard.

 _*CLICK*_

Well, she tried at least.

"Are you kidding me right now?!" Her grip tightened as she tugged on the trapped blade. "Now is not the time!"

Summer's sudden outburst only seemed to have agitated the grimm even more. The Ursa's rampant snarls grew louder, its movements more rabid and quickened.

She needed to run away. There was still time left to act before the grimm reached her. But for some reason, Summer couldn't. Her legs had become stiff as stone and her mind had suddenly become blank.

"W-Wait…I-"

A piercing howl erupted through her eardrums. Her entire body tensed up. She noticed that the hungering Ursa had frozen in place as well. It was then that Summer realized that the roar never came from the grimm in front of her. Its voice didn't match. No, what she just heard had much more ferocity behind it.

 _Much like a beowolf._

A large shadow blew past Summer and collided straight into the Ursa. She felt a rush of wind and dirt against her face upon impact. The sea of branches above rustled. Everything had become dead silent.

She stared into the back of a hulking beowolf, bone spikes and plating protruding all over its body. Summer held her breath. The beowolf snarled, ripping its arm out of the Ursa's body. It flexed their claws, stained blood slowly decaying into nothing alongside the Ursa.

Could it be? After searching for so long, did she finally find them?

The beowolf turned its head and gave her a sideways glance.

Her eyes widened. She recognized that face. Rather, she had burned that image into her mind. It was hard to forget when their bone-enforced head resembled a knight's helmet from the assortment of books she had read.

She forced the sudden lump down her throat. Now was not the time to get emotional. E-Especially not towards someone as sinister and evil as them!

"Heh…" That's right, Summer was the Hero. There was no time for petty drama. Only action and heroism! She pulled down her hood and dramatically posed. "After countless aeons, we finally meet again, _Villain_!"

The _Villain_ turned to face her, obviously as a sign of respect for the great Hero. Their transformation looked different the last time they fought. They grew a few inches and their bone armor appeared to have matured and become sturdier. Though, Summer did notice that their lower torso was _a tiny bit_ lacking in comparison to the whole body.

She pointed at them. "Don't think I didn't find out what you were planning during your little disappearance! Thanks to my brilliant deductions, I was able to find out about your army and secret base!"

…

The _Villain_ just stared at her in silence with an annoyed expression behind their eyes.

' _Really…?'_ was what the Hero interpreted.

It made Summer squirm a bit. "I-I mean –" She started stammering "– t-that was your plan, right?" Summer glanced to the side and scratched her head. "Okay, so ~ _maybe~_ I don't know exactly where your army and lair are. But I'm correct about your plan, right? You _do_ have an army of grimm and you _do_ want to take over the world, right?" She looked back at them, "Right?!"

"…" The _Villain_ wasn't even paying attention to her anymore. For some reason, they would rather look around at the lush scenery than her.

Fire ignited in her chest and she felt her right eye twitch.

They had the nerve to do that to her? _The Hero?!_

She stomped straight towards them with balled fists and a sulky pout.

"Hey! Pay attention!" She rigorously jumped up and down, arms waving, in front of her _idle_ archenemy. Looking back, this was probably a bad idea. Summer was putting everything she had into her legs but even with her arms outstretched, she could barely reach their lower jaw.

But that only fueled her determination even more.

"Do you have you have any idea how boring it was these past weeks?! Where were you? _You_ just up and left one day without even leaving something as simple as a note! You're supposed to be the _Villain_. Haven't you heard the phrase: _Evil never rests?_ " She inhaled a large gulp of air after her rant.

The beowolf lowered their head at her. It was an odd sense of satisfaction if the sudden smug smile on her face was any indication. Yes, this was how it should be.

Just the Hero and the Villain-

"W-Wha- Hey! What are you doing?!" She felt the weightless sensation of her feet hanging in the air. Without much effort, the _Villain_ plucked Summer off the ground by her hood and raised her up until they were face to face.

"S-Stop! Put me down! Put me down, right now!" She kicked in protest, her proud composure broken. It was hard to describe how she was feeling at this moment. Embarrassed? Humiliated? Helpless?

Definitely all three at the same time.

The _Villain_ didn't respond to her demands. Instead, they carried her over to the closest tree all while Summer didn't let up in her objections. She was raised even higher.

"Wa…wait. Hold up, what are you – _ERK!"_ Summer yelped from the sudden tug on the back of her hood. "Did you just hang me on a tree branch?! I'm not some piece of laundry that can just be dried! Foolish _Villain,_ if you don't return me to the floor right now…I-I'll…!" She chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment. Summer had anticipated countless scenarios against her fated nemesis as well as the proper actions to take to ensure her victory for every single one. Heck, she even had a plan in the event of having a dance-off!

But this…

"… _um…I'll do something you won't like_. Y-yeah! S-so unless you want me to do _that_ , you better put me back down… _please?_ "

This was a first.

They grinned at her with barred teeth, making no move to comply with her demands.

That look on their face and the humiliating situation she was stuck in – it infuriated her to no end.

Heavy footsteps could be heard in the distance through rustled shrubbery and stray branches being snapped.

Two more Ursa entered the scene, both of which appeared more aggressive than usual. Considering what just happened earlier, the Hero wouldn't be surprised if the lone beowolf had something to do with this.

Her shoulders relaxed a bit and she let out a long breath. _'Ah, I see now. They simply wanted to put our glorious battle on hold to deal with some rebellious grimm. Can't be an epic duel if interruptions occur mid-fight, huh?'_

There was a tiny warmth in her chest, but she couldn't explain why.

 _'Well, I guess even evil has some twisted moral code to uphold too…maybe they're not so bad?'_

The _Villain_ growled at the two grimm and pointed a claw directly at her. And just like that, differences were put aside and the common enemy was once again unfairly targeted.

 _'I take it back! They're scum! They're the scum of Remnant!'_

The two grimm attacked her. Well, they tried at least. They stood upright, their bodies against the thick tree, with claws wildly coursing through the air in an attempt to rip her legs off. Fortunately, Summer's current height gave just enough space to narrowly avoid death. But that didn't stop her from bringing her knees up to her chest all while hyperventilating.

Her eyes were locked wide open, her heart was racing, and was breaking into a cold sweat.

 _'C-Calm down, Summer…It's times like this where one should remain calm. J-Just…think of this like mental training. Yeah… **mental training…**_ '

"AHH – stay away! Stay away! AHHHHHHHHHH!" She cried out with teary eyes. Her cries excited the grimm beneath her, enhancing their hungry roars and movements. This, of course, sent Summer into a seemingly endless loop of increased panic and cries.

Indeed, the mind was willing but the body was weak.

She looked over at her nemesis. "Don't just stand there – AHHHHHH! D-Do something!"

They shrugged in response, _'You're on your own.'_

"GUH…!" The urge to break down into childish tears was becoming difficult. Summer was practically willing the floodgates to hold.

Due to her panicked state, even more grimm started to emerge and gather around her tree! The sight of the beowolves, ursa, boarbatusks, and other species' names she forgot…. Ah…. she was so screwed!

"AHHHHH!" With adrenaline coursing through her, she ripped the stubborn sword out with a flourish.

With desperation in her blood and divine blade in hand, she frantically swung at her enemies.

"Holy slash! Holy slash! Holy slash! Holy sla- EEEEEEEEEEKKKKK!" The effort was clearly present. But it was not rewarded since all she did was cut through empty space. "Holy slash! Holy slash! Holy slash! Holy sl – oh god the tree! The tree! The tree is shaking!"

That was an audible _*CRACK*_ that ran through her ears. She didn't want to know the implications of such a dreaded sound. "Stop laughing and help me!"

Summer screamed at the top of her lungs.

The _Villain_ tilted their head.

"PLEASE!"

Her pleas were finally answered. With a single mighty howl, all the surrounding grimm came to a chilling halt. It was a bizarre sight… these live monstrous statues… almost as if she was staring at a painting only a madman could envision.

All Summer could do was watch in awe and horror as the _Villain_ cut the necks of every single grimm.

One by one, slow, methodical, and outright brutal.

"Thank god, it's finally over…" A wave of relief washed over her when the _Villain_ had dealt with all the grimm. The colour of her skin was slowly returning. Dancing ashes in the air and dispersing bodies scattered across the surface. Her exhausted fingers became limp. There was a loud clank when the sword hit the ground.

They exchanged a look at one another. The _Villain_ had their arms outstretched to the sides with an impression of _'Well? Are you satisfied now?'_

She crossed her arms and turned her head away from the beowolf. "J-Just so know… I-I had e-everything perfectly under control! I…I was just luring the grimm into a false sense of security. T-That's all! All those ' _Holy slashes_ ' were simply distractions." She stared back at them with new found determination. She placed a theatrical hand over her face. "Hoho… indeed, it was all a clever ploy. A few more seconds and I would have unleashed my ultimate attack! **_Moon Fang Heaven Pier –_** w-wait, where are you going? Come back! I still need you to get me down!"

The _Villain_ paid no mind to her demand as they turned away.

"W-Wait! You're the one who put me here in the first place. At least take responsibility and…and…"

Her mind finally processed the events that just unfolded.

"Wait a second! Y-You…! I finally realized – you used me as bait!"

The beowolf froze on the spot.

Summer gasped. "You actually planned it from the start, didn't you? You used me as some kind of…of… _Grimm lure_!"

There was a long drawn out sigh in the air.

"Now you definitely have to take responsibility! Get me down so that I can unleash my ultimate attack on you!" She demanded. Without turning to face her, the _Villain_ knelt and placed a claw onto the dirt. Summer could only make out the rigid movements of their right shoulder.

"Hey, I'm up here, remember? What are you even doing? Hurry up and get me down!"

Suddenly, dark mist enveloped the entire beowolf. It quickly dissipates and the once large beowolf was replaced with a pup sitting on the all four stubby legs. They stretched their legs before heading off.

"Wait-" A message caught her eye. Drawn out in the dirt were two simple words.

 **TOO HIGH**

"Too high? Too high?! You transformed back into a pup on purpose!" She yelled with frustration and anger in her voice. But it was pointless.

They had already left.

"F-Fine. I don't need you. I'll get down just fine by myself!" She kicked and flailed her arms. "Just you wait, _Villain_! The next time we meet, I will absolutely defeat yo – _WAAAAAAHHHHH_!"

The branch holding Summer finally snapped.

* * *

Argentum's education system was quite simple for a village. Well, at least to Summer it was anyways. You'd spend your childhood in a regular school whose focus was to teach the children the basics of the world, all while you built up your friendships on the playground. The age of thirteen was around the time one would finally graduate. After that, the young teens were presented with three choices.

The first and second options were dull and did not appeal to Summer what so ever. It was either become a farmer or apply for an apprenticeship in the marketplace. Where was the thrill and adventure in that?

The third and most obvious choice for any aspiring hero was the village's combat school. In that school, students would learn only one subject…and… well…it's obvious what the subject was. For the next four years, the students would undergo brutal and unforgiving training in hopes of becoming ideal warriors. Grimm theory, weaponry training, combat style mastery, and so much more was drilled and tested. Once you graduated, the only thing left to do was join Argentum's revered militia and continue to train among the best.

 _~Ahhh~_ She couldn't wait to graduate and join the militia! She could already envision it. July's proud smile beaming at her the moment she joined her ranks. A-And all the grand adventures they'll get to go on! What a sight to behol-

"Ow!" A familiar pain seared over her forehead, both hands covering the site of injury as an automatic reflex.

"Welcome back Summer, how was your little daydream?" Professor Peejun asked while idly tapping the ruler in his other palm. He frowned with disappointment. "I hope I didn't interrupt the good part?"

"Wah? – Why are you even holding that? We're in combat class right now. There's need to – Ow!" The dreaded measuring tool had struck once again.

"Oh, I beg to differ, _Rose_." To have him address her like that; the Professor must be very annoyed right now. "Combat class is meant to train the body and improve upon technique. Is it wrong for a teaching instructor to ensure that his students are paying attention?"

If she was in her first year, the rest of the class would have giggled at her misfortune. But in second year, in a small class of only thirty students, not a single stifle could be heard among the stone bleachers. They've all experienced the Pigeon's wrath. They all knew what would happen next if they acted out of line in front of the old man –

"Ow! What was that for? I didn't say anything this time!"

"I asked you a question." Professor Peejun said, fully prepared to strike again.

"U-Um…no?" She squeaked.

He pinched his nose and adjusted his glasses. "Right, moving on." He took a few steps back to address the whole class. "As you know class, over half the year has gone by. Some of you have improved tremendously, keep up it up. Though, there are a select _few_ who have yet to show me any sign of improvement."

Hey, why did he glance at her? Even if she was last, rank was just a number!

"I'd just like to remind you that the physical exam is at the end of the year. You won't be able to move on to your third year if your grade isn't at least satisfactory." He clapped his hands together. "With that out of the way, today we'll be doing hand-to-hand spars."

A few students in the bleachers groaned.

"Quiet! Only a fool would rely on their weapons all the time. Sooner or later, you will find yourself in a situation where you're disarmed. And when you do, you better be prepared for what's coming next. Now, let's see who'll be fighting each other in the first match." He pulled out a clipboard from behind. His silver eyes widened as he read the paper. The corner of his mouth twitched, breaking into an honest half-smile before quickly shifting into a grimace. "Well, that's the last time I pull names out of a hat at three in the morning."

Summer had her hands clenched together. Please let it be her. Please let it be her!

"For the first spar, would…" Professor Peejun sighed, "… I can't believe I'm saying this – _Rose_ , _Icarus,_ you're up."

The entire class spurred into whispers and conversation upon hearing the combatant names.

"Woah, Summer's going against Abelle…"

"…Isn't that monster, like, ranked first?"

"Meanwhile, Summer is…"

"Hush, she'll hear you…!"

Well, it wasn't a surprise that the class would react like that. It's not every day the first and last ranked students end up fighting each other in the ring.

Was she worried? Hah! Not at all! Why would she be worried when she was the main character? Destiny was on her side. After all, if she survived falling from a tree with nothing broken, then she would surely win against Abelle Icarus!

The sparring area was a rather large, yet plain, floor that was split into four sections with chalk. Two were dedicated for student spars while the remainder were used for weapons training.

The excitement was pouring out of her. Summer had a bright smile plastered on her face as she stood across from her opponent. This was her time to prove herself to everyone – to show the outcome of her experience with her archenemy. There was no faulty equipment that would get in her way this time. Now, it was a test of skill and endurance.

Just two students in t-shirts and shorts ready to punch each other in the face.

Abelle's face was unreadable, no cocky smirk, no anger; it was a blank slate of emotion. Rather, Abelle was more focused on putting her long black hair into a loose ponytail than exchange eye contact with her.

Both eyes flickered to their professor who acted as the referee.

"You both know the rules – no killing each other or breaking bones. Victory is achieved by making the other yield. Assume fighting positions." He signalled them both with raised hands. "Summer, get that ridiculous smile off your face. Do you want to lose your teeth? As for you, Abelle – I'm only going to say this once: _Control yourself._ "

"Yes sir…" She shot back, bringing her arms up and adjusting her stance. Summer opted for a similar fighting stance of her own.

"Ready?" The audience was silent, all eyes were on them. "Begin!"

Not even a second later that Abelle closed in on her with a straight-right. Summer jumped back to avoid it. Pain shot up from her right leg, originating from the ankle. Okay, so she _may_ have fibbed a bit about the tree branch incident. But the fact that she only got a sprained ankle from all of that was a miracle itself!

But thanks to this, Summer's movements were far too slow against Abelle. She continued her assault, ruthlessly advancing in her guard, throwing out a string of punches. Summer tried her best to maintain her defence, but her opponent had gotten some clean hits through. There was a gush of pain around her face.

This was not good at all.

She staggered back, narrowly avoiding the incoming right hook. It was so close that she could feel the wind brush her cheek as her arm was sailing away. Pushing through the pain in the right ankle, Summer shot her left leg straight into Abelle's stomach. The raven-haired girl grunted upon impact, stumbling back a couple steps. There was some mumbling in the audience. Finally, there was some breathing room between the two!

"Damn it." Abelle hissed. Her face had more expression this time; eyes wide and teeth visibly gritted.

She wondered how the crowd would react when Abelle lost?

"What's wrong? Surprised I landed a hit on you?" Summer smirked. Destiny was an unpredictable force. It didn't matter if Abelle was the best in the class. After what the _Villain_ put her through, the Hero's victory was guaranteed.

"Shut up." Abelle charged at Summer.

She brought her arms closer and tucked her chin. Summer was prepared this time!

"Erk!" A cry escaped her lips, pain searing from the side as Abelle's leg slammed into Summer's exposed ribs. Panic surged in her chest. Her arms lost tension and her legs weakened. A fist connected to her gut causing the air in her lungs to escape. Her jaw ignited in agony from their follow-up swing.

Summer collapsed onto to the floor. Her entire body ached and her face was beginning to dull. Still, she tightened her fist, steeled her resolve, and rolled back up. A trail of sweat trailed down her brow.

"Do you still want to fight?" She heard Professor Peejun from the side.

She nodded, her breaths were short and heavy, all while her eyes remained locked on Abelle. What kind of hero would she be if she gave up?

"Tsk…" Her opponent clicked her tongue in disappointment. They circled each other. Summer winced from the jolt in her bad ankle. ' _Lousy foot!'_

That single moment was all Abelle needed to advance. She whirled her fist straight at Summer. The Hero readied to block, but the attack stopped midway. _'A fake out!'_ Abelle leaned forward and twisted, her elbow digging into her ribs once more. Her body ignited, signals screaming out in anguish.

Her mind was scattered, unable to consider her next decisions.

Summer reeled back, tensing her shoulders before throwing a punch of her own. It was sloppy, desperate, and clearly punishable. Without much effort, Abelle tilted head to the side and countered with a punch of her own. She drove it forward, putting all her weight against Summer's face.

The world dipped and wobbled.

Summer fell once more. Summer was at her limit. Her body was crying out for her to pull the brakes and stop.

 _'This is strangely terrifying. I'm supposed to win, right? So then why am I on the ground again? It should be Abelle, not me! I'm the hero of this story, not her!'_

Summer swept her legs, forcing Abelle to jump back. With a strained cry, Summer stood up. The whispering from the other students grew louder. Her lungs were on fire, her throat burned, her head was pounding. She could already feel her eye starting to swell.

Abelle scoffed, lowering her guard. Her brow raised and her jaw went slack. She glanced at the audience and then back to her.

This would have been the perfect opportunity to attack, but Summer wasn't exactly in the best position to move.

She spoke, loud enough for everyone to hear, "You can't win. Just do the class a favour and _just give up_. You can't beat me – I know that, the class knows that, and I'm sure as hell the Professor knows that as well! Why bother going through with all this?"

Summer brought her fists up. The weight of her arms had become heavy and strained. They hang, just barely, halfway in front of her chest. She replied with a lazy grin. "Isn't it obvious? It doesn't matter if you're the best student in the class. It doesn't matter if you knock me down one-hundred…no, _one thousand times_. I'll just get right back up until I win. Destiny is on my side, Abelle. The Hero always wins in the end."

Her face twisted from disbelief into fury.

" _You haven't changed at all, Summer Rose_."

It happened so fast, yet so slow at the same time. Abelle threw her entire body at Summer with arms locked around her waist. Her heart stopped when her balance toppled and the world blurred. She was going to fall again, already familiar with the pain. But it's different this time. A wave of heat radiated around her back and head, tears welling up in her eyes.

Abelle immediately shifted into a mounted position, planting her entire body weight on Summer's torso. She could feel the suffocating weight against her chest. Waves of panic washed over her. She squirmed and twisted her body, but it was impossible to escape.

 _'No…This can't be right. I-I-'_

Her thoughts were cut off when the first blow came straight at her nose.

Then came the second.

And then the third.

A warm liquid trickled over her lips, the taste was coppery and nauseating.

 _'This is wrong. I… can't lose.'_

Abelle's assault didn't end. She kept hammering into her skull. Over and over. With no sign of mercy.

Summer had shut her eyes.

 _'No…No…I…I'm not supposed to…'_

 _"Icarus!_ "

The punches stopped.

She opened her eyes. Professor Peejun had caught Abelle's wrist, preventing her from attacking.

He had a stern look behind his glasses and a thin line over this mouth. "You're done for today. Wait in my office."

"But-"

"Don't make me repeat myself, _Icarus_."

 _Defeated silver eyes met with bitter blue._

She almost forgot about it.

That cursed memory that was locked and hidden away.

But her eyes had torn the chains apart and pulled it to the surface. Those eyes filled with such icy hatred that it froze Summer's blood to a standstill. The memory consumed every corner of her mind like an unstoppable blizzard.

"Yes, sir." Her face became flat again. She got off Summer, ripping the fine thread of yarn out of her ponytail, allowing her hair to rest against her shoulders. She ran a hand through her bangs in a downwards motion. They exchanged a brief glance one last time before she made her way towards the exit.

Silence.

Professor Peejun knelt next to her limp form. He placed a hand under his chin. "Bloody nose, split lip, black eye, and some bruising."

Her voice croaked, "I…I can…. still fight."

He inspected her pupil. "You don't have a concussion, that's good."

"I…"

"You lost, Summer."

Time began to slow down. Her good eye widened. ' _I lost? But how? I-I had destiny on my side! No! I…I…'_

"Summer, Summer, listen to me." She felt the back of her head being gently lifted. He spoke in a controlled and soft manner. "You're hyperventilating, Summer. Calm down. It's over. I want you to relax and breathe through your nose. There we go. Just breathe and rest, it's over."

Her ears were ringing and everything was numb. The teacher helped her to her feet. "We'll need to get you to the nurse's office. The nurse can treat that face of yours… and that ankle too."

She didn't have it in herself to meet the man's eyes. Whether it was out of shame or exhaustion, she wasn't sure. She brushed out of his hold. Her steps were slow and methodical.

"Do you want me to get someone to go with you?"

"N-No…I'm fine. I can go by myself."

"…If you're sure."

She could feel everyone's gaze on her. Her stomach twisted into knots. It was so utterly humiliating. She hastened her steps as fast as she could. That was the only one thing that lingered in her mind.

 _Escape._

"…Hey, it's alright Summer! You tried your best!" One of her classmates in the bleachers reassured her.

 ** _'Hey, hey, isn't your sister one of the captains of the militia?'_**

"Y-Yeah! You were so cool out there!" Another one joined in.

 ** _'Wow, you're pretty weak huh?'_**

 _'Shut up…'_

"…If it were me, I would have gotten knocked out from that punch. But you just got right back up!"

 ** _'Captain Rose must be so embarrassed to have such a pathetic little sister! I bet she's laughing behind your back right now!'_**

 _'Please…no more.'_

"Anyone would have lost against her, so don't worry! Abelle really is a monster, am I right guys? I bet she eats live beowolves in the middle of the night!"

Laughter erupted in the air.

 ** _'Didn't you say you were the main character? Hah! That has got to be the dumbest thing anyone has ever said! You? The greatest hero of Remnant? Grow up!'_**

 _'I SAID SHUT UP!'_

Summer froze on the spot, just a few steps away from the exit.

"…Summer, are you alright?"

She turned her head and looked up at her classmates. She gave them the brightest blood-stained smile and waved.

"Thank you for the support, everyone!"

 ** _'Deep down, you know the reason they bother acknowledging your existence. It's because of her. Never forget that.'_**

* * *

Summer went home after her trip to the nurse's office. The sweet old lady had offered a bed to rest in her office but Summer had politely declined. In truth, she didn't want to spend another minute at school. The trip back was just as bad. Not only did she have to assure the onlooking villagers that she was fine with a goofy smile but the congregating dark clouds only worsened her mood.

The lone log-cabin was located at the very edge of the village with a few trees and an old pathway as her neighbours. The location itself was the sole reason Summer could leave the village undetected.

"I'm home." She gently shut the door behind her. She wasn't expecting anyone to come greet her. She only said it to block out the sense of gloom and loneliness the empty house brought. For as long as she could remember, it was just July and Summer who lived here.

Of course, July wouldn't be home now. She was busy with her responsibilities as captain. She wondered how big sis' would react when she got a good look at her? What a story and scolding that would be at the dinner table.

Climbing the stairs was difficult given how sore her legs were. Though she was a bit satisfied now that her ankle had been reset and compressed with bandages.

She let out a small cry when she accidentally banged her shoulder against the doorframe to her room. Her fingers hovered over her injured eye. "Stupid white eye-patch." She didn't have a choice in the manner. The nurse said that if she wanted the black eye to heal faster, then she'd have to wear the dust-infused cloth.

She couldn't wait for July to comfort her-

There was a note on her desk.

Her heart crumbled. She knew what that meant. But she read it regardless, hoping that she was wrong.

 _Dear little sister,_

 _I won't be able to come home today. I have a meeting with the village council and then I need to prepare the militia for a certain request. I've prepared dinner in the fridge for you. I'll see you tommor-_

Summer crumpled the sheet into a ball and hurled it across the room.

Her body trembled and her breaths shortened. She pressed her back against the wall and slid down. She hugged her knees to her chest. She pulled her hood up, praying to find some comfort in the whole situation.

Her eye started to burn.

"I'm not going to cry…I'm not going to cry…" She whispered through clenched teeth.

Tears began to form in the corner of her eye. "I can't cry…because…because I'm the… _Hero_. A-And heroes shouldn't cry. My n-name is Summer Rose and I-I…I am…I am..."

Was she right? Truly?

What if she was wrong? What if everything that's happened so far just a series of coincidences?

What would that make her then?

"I am…" She stared at the sword, leaning against the wall, across from her.

And then an idea struck.

She pounced for the weapon, much like a young child still learning to walk. Her grip on the scabbard was suddenly weak. It was an unfamiliar weight, one that made her uncomfortable. But Summer held it regardless.

She wiped the tears away with her sleeve.

"I'm going to prove myself." Summer said, looking out of the window. "I'll show them. Yeah! I'll show them all. I'll prove to them that I really am the Hero!"

And just like that, her new-found resolve spread throughout her body like wildfire, reinvigorating her strength and ideals.

She left for the forest.

Today will be the day the Hero slays the Villain.

* * *

 **(A!P#A POV)**

Okay, so before everything else, I'm just going to openly admit this:

I used Summer Rose as bait for the grimm.

Was it a dick move on my part? For sure it was.

Would I consider myself a psychopath? Eh, not really.

But!

Hear me out first before you start labelling me as a monster (no pun intended). Do you have any idea how hard it's been on the _Essence economy_ lately? The first week was great, possibly one of the best weeks I've had in my entire reborn life. It was a pure euphoric rush filled with endless slaughter and perfectly sane laughter. I had never felt so alive! And that's saying something considering I had a giant bolt of lightning hurled at me.

But then the slow decline of local grimm began. For some unknown reason, it became harder and harder to find the creatures of grimm. Like what the hell? Who's the idiot that's been purging this forest? Don't these monsters make up most of Remnant's population?

Fast-forward to current week where my days are filled with aimless wandering and massive boredom. The natural bliss of nature and the false sense of harmony in the air had driven me to the edge. I was not satisfied with picking up scraps, okay? And then came the local heroic brat, Summer Rose. I was so focused on my goal that I had completely forgotten her for better or worse.

You must believe me when I tell you that I wasn't exactly in the right place of mind during that time.

Initially, I hung her on a branch to get her out of harm's way. The whole "using her as bait" idea just spurred to life at that moment. Plus, I needed to find a way for the brat to leave me alone for good. The girl's dedicated to her delusions, I'll give her that. If I complied with her demands we would have done the same hero-villain routine after. So, I left her. I saw an opportunity to end this delusional cycle and I took it – _like any mentally stable person would_!

Unfortunately for me, the cycle pulled me back in.

"I know you're here, _Villain_! Stop hiding in the shadows and face me! _Villain!_ " Summer yelled in the middle of the empty pathway. I've been hiding in a bush, in my pup form, for ten minutes now, hoping the brat would get tired. Sadly, I don't think that's possible.

My ears and tail drooped. I…kind of bad for Summer now. _Kind of!_ I-It's not like I'm showing sympathy for her, okay? It's just that I sort of feel responsible. Her face looked like absolute crap. And the way she struggled to carry herself, stumbling and shifting from side-to-side with wobbly legs.

I didn't need to rely on my grimm instincts to know that Summer Rose was royally pissed.

Revenge. She's here for revenge. God, I didn't think the fall would do this much damage. If I knew, I would put her down. And that eyepatch… did…did I make one of her eyes blind? Damn it, what a horrible time to confirm that Summer didn't have her aura unlocked!

Christ almighty I'm a guilty asshole. (There I said it. Are you happy, conscience?)

" _Villain!_ Show yourself!"

…Well, let's get this over with.

I move away from my hiding spot and reveal myself. Summer's mood didn't brighten at all when she saw me. To be honest, it was kind of unsettling seeing her with a narrow eye and flared nostrils.

"There you are!" She ripped the sword out, sending a horrid chalkboard screech through my ears. "I'll show everyone what can I truly do! I'm skipping the introductions – no speeches, no poses, no interruptions. I'm going to slay you, once and for all!"

I blinked. Did I hear that correctly?

Summer swung her blade aside. "Well? Don't just sit there – hurry up and transform! I won't be satisfied unless I win fair and square!"

My god, she's serious.

She actually wants to kill me.

 _Sigh._

Fine, I'll play along.

 **I order this body of mine to transform into my Alpha form!**

The flames disperse and we're now in an awkward stare down, both in a literal and metaphorical sense. This whole thing felt wrong to the point where my fur stood on its ends. A single swipe from my arm and she'd be dead. We're both aware of that, I'm sure. But she stood her ground, despite her injuries, despite me towering over her. Summer looked up at me with intense determination.

She firmly held her sword with both hands in front of her. "Are you prepared to meet your end? I'm going to be giving it my all, so you better do the same. I won't forgive you if you hold back!"

…Summer?

I sincerely hope that your fall didn't cause brain-damage. You are aware of what I'm capable of, right? Even if you don't have brain-damage, I'd still consider you an idiot. What is with these so-called "heroes" and their bullshit code of chivalry? That's like shooting yourself in the foot while offering the enemy some tea and bis-

"Here I go!" She charged at me with her rusted sword high in the air. I remain idle.

There was a subtle chilling when the cold metal made contact with the exposed part of my leg. Other than that, I'm perfectly fine. It was a rusted and blunt sword so it was no surprise that her strike couldn't pierce my flesh. The best way I could describe it was being hit with the edge of a plastic ruler.

"It's not over yet! _HIYYYAAAAAAAAH!"_ She swung at my leg again.

Over and over. Her pointless attacks slid off me.

"It's not over! You hear me? It's _*SWING*_ not _*SWING*_ over * _SWING*_ yet!" Her swings were berserk and random; there was no thought behind her attacks. No, the only thing present was burning anger and cold frustration.

The only reasonable thing I can do is just stand still and accept my punishment.

"It's…not over… not over yet." Summer said for the umpteenth time while desperately gasping for air. Her shoulders were rapidly rising and falling, quaking sword was lowered, buckling knees on the verge of collapse. Sweat dripped from her chin.

She took a step forward. "Here…I…go-"

She fell on her knees. The sword dropped from motionless fingers. Her tired and seemingly defeated breaths were the only things left. I could feel Summer's anger beginning to fade from exhaustion. But equilibrium is a fickle thing. While her anger decreased, her frustration was climbing upward.

She looked up at me with a pained expression. "So that's it, huh? Even after giving everything I had, I couldn't win. I lost." She gazed down at her sword, her hands clenched into fists. Her entire body was trembling. Her voice broke into a hoarse whisper. "It's not fair! I'm trying my best – I really am. But everyone else doesn't believe that. No one believes in me! They all think I'm just some silly kid whose head is stuck in the clouds. What's wrong with that?"

Her lone silver eye looked back at me with tears pouring down her cheeks. Even her eyepatch had become damp and soggy. And yet she spoke to me with a quivering smile, " _What's so wrong with having a dream? Even if it sounds stupid or impossible – so what? It's my dream, not theirs. What's so wrong with striving to achieve it?"_

It was sickening to watch her break down like this. I can sense her negative emotions after all. Her apparent misery emitted a rather foul stench from her body. As ironic as it is, I prefer it when she acted out in her delusions. At least then she was happy. But this? The entire thing made my heart twist. What do I even do now? Do I just leave and let her fix this mess herself or…?

The sky blackened a single moment.

"Wah?"

A large passing shadow loomed over us, sending an ominous gust of wind against our backs. The trees around us shook, their leaves rustling almost as a sign of warning. The following silence was deafening. And in the far distance, an echoing _caw_ full of dread rang in my ears. The more I listened, the more I could make out the faint flapping of massive wings growing louder by the second.

Panic arose in Summer. She stared into her sweaty palms with a wide eye and unsteady breath. "A Nevermore. My emotions – I couldn't control them. It's coming for me. I can't get up. M-My legs… I can't move my legs."

 _…Did you just say_ _Nevermore?_

My claws twitched upon hearing its name. I could feel an overwhelming rush of blood surging through my muscles. My tail danced from left-to-right and I couldn't help but grin with barred fangs in exhilaration.

A Nevermore!

How exciting! How exciting!

I never had the chance to sink my teeth into one. They're already massive in size so the amount of Essence I could absorb…

 _~AHHHH~_ just the mere thought of its corpse was making me salivate! And it's all thanks to… _her._

 _Shit._

…What the hell am I doing? This is a human life we're talking about here. This isn't some twisted game of sacrificial pawns and kings. I already used her as bait once, and I'm considering it again? Am I really a monster? But then again…

 _Am I truly in the wrong here?_

I mean, she went to this forest on her own, so she should take responsibility for her actions. If anything, Summer owes me for saving her life so many times! Maybe it's time she repaid our debt in full? There's nothing wrong with repaying someone a favour.

 _Right?_

Besides, I want to – no, I _need_ to get stronger. I _need_ to become the strongest beowolf. I swore to never allow a repeat of that… _of that day_ from ever happening again. And to obtain that strength, I need that Nevermore's Essence.

E-Exactly! There's nothing wrong with what I'm doing! It's my goal. After all, what's so-

 _'What's so wrong with having a dream?'_

…Son of a bitch. Why did it have to be in her voice?

 **"CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWW"**

Instincts kicked in, firing jolts across my body. I scooped up Summer, hugging her close to my chest, and I rolled to the side to avoid the incoming feather-like spears from the sky. Being out in the open made us an easy target for that bird. Obstructing its vision was the best choice right now. I pumped my legs with energy and I kicked off the ground, sending both of us into the sea of trees.

We came to a sudden halt when my shoulder slammed into a tree.

"Woah! Wait, what are you doing?!" Summer yelled in my arms.

To be honest I have no idea.

The wind was picking up in intensity. The Nevermore was probably pissed that I stole its meal.

I need to think fast. Hiding in one spot won't be good enough since Summer's basically a live flare. We'll have to run deeper into the forest. Plus, I'm going to have to carry her in the most effective way where I can both shield her and remain agile.

"Hold up, hold up, what are doin – Wah!"

I don't have a destination in mind, I just know that I must keep running. Although I must admit that running on my hind legs has become awkward for me now. I know I used to be human, but running on all fours eventually became natural to me. Funny, isn't it?

"S-Stop!" Summer gagged, "Put me down! Put me down right now! I'm going to vomit!"

Maybe holding Summer like a football wasn't such a great idea. In my defence, my options were limited with the impaling spikes growing out of my body. So just bear with it for now, Summer.

I could hear the destruction approaching from behind. Black feathers rained from the dark sky, tearing apart nature and soil as failed attempts to skewer us. My heart was frantically racing by the second. It wasn't out of exhaustion, no, I was leaning more towards anxiety. I don't understand this feeling. Her life was in danger, not mine. So why do I feel so anxious? The Nevermore cries out, sending vibrations throughout my skeleton. Shit, can't you just find someone else to eat?!

 **STOP.**

I fired a howl into the air.

But the Nevermore doesn't let up. It continues to pursue us with a ravenous hunger. Tsk, I figured that would have happened. Even after slaughtering all those grimm, I still didn't have enough Authority to command a Nevermore. Considering the hierarchy gap between a beowolf and Nevermore, I'm not surprised.

"Are you trying to make it follow us?!"

Why you little – I have half the mind to throw you into its beak!

I shot Summer a dirty glare.

"Hey, don't give me that look – ah look in front of you!"

My shin caught a fallen tree. My vision whirled and my balance toppled. I fell face first into the dirt. Damn it, I let go of the brat!

The Nevermore screeched once more.

Where is she – I need to shield her-

A loud explosion erupted during the chaos. The sky ignited in fiery streams of orange flames as a whirlwind of heat spread throughout the overhead leaves and dancing branches. The booming noise reverberated through my ears. I couldn't help but bring both hands over my head to block it out. Being a beowolf sucks!

And then…silence.

Pure silence.

My body relaxed. I let out a shaky breath and pushed off the ground. It couldn't have been that damn _knight_ who killed the Nevermore. I'm well familiar with what their attacks sound like. This was the work of someone else.

"… _ooooh_ I think I'm going to be sick." I turned my head to see a hunched over Summer, perfectly alive but skin clearly as white as her hoodie. She wobbled from side to side before finally stumbling her back against a tree. Her legs gave out, she slid down the bark.

A drop of water splashed on top of me. And then another over my shoulder. In a matter of seconds, water began leaking through the small openings above. I have mixed feelings towards rain now. I still like it, well, a bit anyway. Now, it's mostly discomfort and bitterness that wells up within.

My ears suddenly perked up.

Hold up, there's still a chance that the Nevermore's body is still intact!

"W-Wait, where are you going?"

I turned in the opposite direction.

"H-Hey…I…"

If I double back now, I might be able to find its half-decaying corpse and –

" _Don't go."_

I froze.

It was a harsh whisper at best. Hell, if it wasn't for my grimm hearing I wouldn't have been able to make it out in the first place. If I was the main character of some cliché story, then this is the part where I'm supposed to comfort you.

But I'm not going to!

To be frank, you've been a pain in my side ever since we met. Why should I bother? Look, if you think for a second that I'm going to pass up on this opportunity for power just to play in your little delusions, then you better –

 _"Please."_

You've got some nerve.

I spun my head, aiming to look her dead in the eye. Except we don't exchange eye contact. I've never seen her look so defeated before. Her head hung low with her dirty hood hiding her face. I could make out the faint sobbing and the pang of sadness she emitted.

I look back in the direction of the Nevermore and then look back at Summer. As much as I'm going to regret this, the choice was painstakingly obvious.

 _…Sigh._

 **I command this body to revert to its original state!**

I make my way towards Summer. She was so caught up with quietly crying that I don't think she even noticed.

"H-Huh? W-what are you…what are you doing?" She choked in-between her sobs. I could feel her eye staring at my form. Though, I probably would have said the same thing too if a beowolf pup casually curled up on top of my lap.

"I didn't ask for your sympathy!"

Christ, you're full of contradictions, aren't you?

Don't get the wrong idea, Summer. I'm not here to comfort you. I just have nothing better to do. Whoever killed that Nevermore must be nearby and I don't want to take my chances with them. Plus, I'm not in the mood to get my fur wet. So, for now, I'm just going to use you as my lap pillow and - w-woah what are you doing?!

 **"Hmmmm** …" Are you petting my back?! Wait! Did I just moan? Am I enjoying this? Why?! I-I'm not a dog, damn it! This – This feels wrong! So wrong! Urrghh _~ Stoooooop! ~_

"You…have surprisingly soft fur."

I don't need you to point that out!

"I'm surprised. I thought for sure you would have lashed out and bitten me or something." Her voice was starting to pick up in volume again. Waves of warmth wash over me. My muscles become jelly and I feel as if I'm sinking into bliss. Ohhhhh, I will absolutely sink my small fangs into you, brat! _Just…just give me a moment…_.

The moment seems to last forever. Both of us remain still, watching the slow rain descend under our umbrella of leaves. The air was cool and the only sounds were _drips-drops_ accompanied by Summer's slow breathing. She seemed calmer now.

Summer stops her hand mid-way. My ears shot up at the loss of stimulation.

"Do you believe in destiny?"

Considering I was supposed to die of old age and not by a random helicopter, I'm leaning heavily for no. You do know I can't talk, right?

"I think it exists." She said to fill in my silence. "You know like we're all destined for _something_ but it's all super broad and stuff. And there are all these given paths we take. Some paths are straight and easy while others are twisted and narrow. But they all lead to the same destination. It's the path we choose that shapes our ending."

Okay? What exactly are you trying to say?

"I…I think I understand now. Not everything is going to go my way, even if I am the main character. Heck, today was probably one of the worst days in my life. But you know what? That's fine. Every hero must trip and fall sooner or later. But it's the part where you get up and continue that matters. Tomorrow will bring a new chapter in my life. I won't give up on the path I'm walking on. I'm going to keep working on my dream."

I'm starting to see where Ruby's optimism came from.

She let out a hearty chuckle. "You're the same. I can tell from your eyes. You have a special dream too, don't you? A dream that makes no sense from someone else's perspective, but it's only clear to you. Maybe that's why destiny intersected our paths. Because we both want to prove to the world that nothing is impossible. Isn't that right _Villain…_ oh."

Oh?

"Hey…" Summer said, her fingers were fidgeting over my back. "Um…I…uh…"

What? Is there a grimm nearby? I don't see anything.

"I just realized this, but, well – we've known each other for a while, right? You already know who I am, Summer Rose, Remnant's upcoming greatest Hero. But I don't really know who you are. You're just the _Villain_. So, this may sound a little weird but – do you have a name?"

My ears suddenly droop. A hollow emptiness overwhelms me.

My name?

I haven't put much thought into it but the realization hits me like a brick. I guess I do, but that was when I was human. I don't think it's right to keep my old name after my reincarnation. It just felt so _unnatural._ But then what does that make me?

Who am I?

The thought of it made me sick to my stomach. I curl further inward to repress the pain.

Summer must have noticed it. Her voice weakened, "Oh, so you don't have a name. To not have an identity to call your own, that must be horrible." Summer suddenly gasped. "Hey! I got it! How about I give you a name?"

You? The delusional wannabe hero? Give me a name?

…

I lightly scratch her leg.

Eh, what do I have to lose?

"So, you do want me to give you a name? Okay then!" Summer said. "Hmm, give me a moment. I need to think of the best name to suit you."

A moment passes. I don't need to look up to know she has a hand under her chin.

She clapped her hands with an upbeat "a-ha!" at the end.

"I got it! I have the perfect name for you!"

My body tightens and my ears shoot up.

"I see you're getting excited!" She laughed, "Before I tell you, I'd like to tell you a story I read when I was little. You see, long ago in Remnant, before Vale even existed, there was a great kingdom that spanned the horizon. A queen with a legendary sword ruled over it. She had a Round Table of loyal knights that followed her every order, and together they protected their kingdom. The queen's sword was magical and had the power to make wishes come true. She used that power to maintain peace throughout the kingdom. All the citizens were happy. But there was one knight in the Round Table that despised this peace. They wanted to use the sword for their own selfish desires. So, they rebelled against the queen, the Round Table, the entire kingdom itself. They became known as the Treacherous Knight…."

My ears twitched from the sudden pause. What the heck? Don't just stop there, things were getting interesting!

"Erm…well the rest of the pages were ripped out so I don't really know what happened after that." She fidgeted. "But that's beside the point. You remind me of the Treacherous Knight – a-and I'm not just saying that because you're the Villain!"

Smooth.

She paused for a moment and let out a shaky breath. "It's… It's because you don't follow the normal food chain nor do you act like a typical grimm. You rebel against your grimm nature and go against the natural order for the sake of your dream. As much as I despise you, I can't help but respect that small part of you. So that's why I'm going to give you that knight's name - a name fitting for my archenemy. As of today, your name shall be Mordred."

It takes me a few seconds to slowly process that name.

 _Mordred._

Her voice trembled, "D-Do you like it?"

It sounds…pleasant.

 **"Hmmmm…"**

Why do I feel so warm inside?

She exhaled loudly, "I'm relieved!"

H-Hey, don't kick your legs out like that! You're ruining my pillow!

"It has a nice ring to it: _the tale of the heroic Summer Rose and the villainous Mordred!_ A pleasure to finally know the identity of my eternal enemy." She exclaimed.

She starts massaging my back again. I don't move a muscle nor do I try to protest. At this point, I've given in to the physical comfort. We both stare out at nothing, waiting silently for the rain to let up. One-time, Summer Rose. This will be the only time I'll ever let you pet me. Try it again and I won't hesitate to use you as bait.

"Just so we're clear, this doesn't make us friends."

Yeah.

 _The feeling is mutual._

* * *

 **So that happened. So, first things first, long absence, again sorry. BUT! I think updates are going to be more frequent. Before I'd write after school/work which left me kinda drained. Now, I've been getting into the habit of waking up early in the morning and writing everyday. So despair no longer!**

 **Second, Overlord has surpassed 1000 followers. Thank you so much for your support. It's one of my personal achievements that I've always wanted when I started fanfiction. My other achievement is actually finishing a story…**

 **Right, so you know that story about the Queen and the magic sword (which may or may not be based off of King Arthur)? Yeah, keep that in mind for the future chapters – not really important but kind of is.**

 **And now for the elephant in the room…or pup. I may get people asking "Why Mordred?" Well… "More Dread" get it? Hah…hah. But really, Summer practically explained it, so if you want to drop my story because of a name then go for it. I've seen someone drop my story because Mordred wasn't edgy and overpowered enough, so I wouldn't put it past me. I've seen your suggestions but I've already had the name locked in and very lightly hinted in chapter 6 when MC was describing the alpha form, (not really).**

 **Chapter 10 will be very short, about 1000ish words, probably? It would feel awkward if I put it here. Think of it like a transitional chapter; I need time to pass when chapter 11 comes out. You'll see it tomorrow.**


	10. Progress Report

The third floor of Argentum's militia hall was the Captains' office. It was a rather plain room with three long windows on one end. The walls were kept dull and plain. A large red circular carpet lied at the center of the room littered with books, discarded papers, and coffee stains. Two mahogany work desks were positioned at far ends across from each other. But the difference in organization created a definite contrast creating an image where two rooms, one resembling clear water – the other thick oil, had mixed together.

The flickering from the flames trapped within the lamps resonated throughout the office.

The desk on the left side had a mountain of paper resting on top of it with a silver helmet on the side. A golden spear leaned against the wall. Sitting behind the desk, adorned in armour and cape, was none other than July Rose.

"Urrgg…" She groaned for the umpteenth time with her face resting on the smooth surface. "There's so much paperwork to do…I don't want to do it."

Indeed, the role of being a Captain was a job heavy of responsibility. It wasn't just slaying grimm and inspiring her subordinates. That's what everyone seems to think. The third floor, where only a select few could enter, was where the true darkness remained locked away.

Documents, documents, and even more documents!

The blonde Captain was mentally drained. And what's worse was that it was only evening. She still had the entire night to go! All she wanted was to spend time with her little sister – but _nope! –_ the council just had to spring her with this. She would have been finished by now if her _equal_ had contributed as well.

Half open silver eyes stared at the sloppy desk across the office, full of discarded novels and dusty knick-knacks. The wall was aligned with stuffed bookshelves. Her expression broke into a scowl. "You said you'd be back in a year – it's already been two! When I get my hands on you Trajan, I am going to personally – "

There was a knock on the door. Her hunched composure immediately straightened in her seat. "Come in." She said with authority in tone.

Her Vice-Captain stepped in with a fidgeting ' _#1 Captain'_ mug in hand. The crisp aroma of coffee rejuvenated her senses. Ah, she knew she made the right choice in choosing her! "Um…I-I figured you might n-need this, C-Captain." Camilla seemed to be more focused on her spear rather than her as she placed it on the desk. July immediately reached for the coffee mug.

July smiled. "You're a life-saver, Camilla."

She buried her face in her scarf, her skin clearly matching the colour of her cloth. "I-It was nothing!"

"So, anything noteworthy on your afternoon patrol?"

"It was mostly peaceful." She responded.

July bit the inside of her cheek. Peaceful? There was nothing wrong with that per say. But it did feel rather off when the patrol reports have been saying the same thing for the entire month now. She hadn't gone off on one of her "walks" lately, either. The last time she went was when she fought against that abnormal alpha.

So, what on Remnant was going on in that forest? A part of her felt relieved from the low grimm activity, but another part felt paranoid for an unseen enemy plot. Hmm, she'll have to arrange a scouting party to investigate.

She blinked. "Wait, what do you mean by 'mostly'?"

"I…uh…found a nevermore." Camilla started playing with the hem of her scarf.

"I see." She took a sip from her cup. "One-shot?"

"Eh? Y-Yeah. I used an arrow filled with red dust. I-I just got lucky, that's all." She looked rather embarrassed by her achievement. July couldn't help but harshly exhale from her nose. Luck? The Vice-Captain was _just lucky_?

Honestly, this girl was a piece of work.

"See, that's what I don't understand," July said, placing the mug down. "Nothing can stand in your way if you're alone. Whether it be a band of bandits or a whole pack of grimm. But the moment one of our warriors or villagers are around, your shots miss even at point blank."

Camilla's shoulders shrunk at the comment. "I-I'm sorry – "

"There's no need to apologize." July got up from her seat and walked around the desk, "I'm just making a comment based on my observations, that's all. All you need is practice."

"P-Practice? But I train every day and – _eep_!" She let out a startled cry when July placed her hands on her shoulders.

"I mean your social skills, Camilla." July had shifted her tone into a softer, less professional, tone. It was how she casually talked with Summer. "If you can improve your self-esteem and communication skills, then I have no doubt you'd be the strongest warrior in Argentum. Possibly even stronger than me."

"W-What?! What are you saying, Captain Rose? I c-can't…it's impossible!"

"Impossible?" July asked with a raised brow. "Are you referring to the weak self-esteem, communication, or surpassing me?"

"Yes!"

"Okay…?"

She cleared her throat.

"Anyways, I have a something that may help you." July reached for a brown envelope on her desk and tossed it at her junior. "Here."

Camilla fumbled with the item in her hands until she finally hugged it against her chest. "What…what is it?"

"Oh, you know…" She started casually before dropping the lightning bolt, "…just a little mission request from the school. Nothing too big; just a shopping spree for new equipment in the other town next week. I already have a team prepared."

"You want me to accompany you?" The Vice-Captain asked.

"Oh no – I'm not going to be leading the mission. I'm not even going. Too much paperwork to do." She points at the stack just waiting to be painfully processed. " _You're going to be leading this mission."_

 _"…_ _."_ She stared at the Captain with a blank, unreadable expression.

July reached her hand out, "Camilla?"

"WHAAAAAAAT?!" Camilla jumped back, her eyes wide and alert.

July brought her hands up and slowly took a few steps forward. She had learned how to deal with her little sister's tantrums when she was a toddler. It was times like these where she had to ensure that she was on Camilla's side. "Camilla, I need you to calm down. Social communication isn't going to kill you. I'm only doing this for your own good. Think of it like…exposure therapy."

"I…I…" Her eyes were darting in random directions.

July caught her eyeing the door. She wouldn't dare…!

"I have the right to deny dangerous work!" With tremendous speed, Camilla sprinted for the exit, but it was all in vain when July, with tremendous reflexes, tackled her onto the floor and trapped her in an arm lock. Her cape fluttered with a flourish.

"Dangerous is subjective – especially in our line of work. I've shown you the patrol reports already, there's nothing to worry about." July kept a soft tone when she spoke, though if anyone saw the way her eye twitched, they would have realized that Captain Rose was nearing the edge.

"…"

"Feel ready to talk like adults now?"

"I…I'd like to use my authority as Vice-Captain and assign someone else for the role of the leader!" Camilla cried out, frantically squirming to get out of July's iron hold. But it was pointless. Not only was July physically stronger than Camilla, but her armour added extra weight to overcome.

Literal sparks ignited from her eyes. "Authority overruled by Captain."

"Then I'd like to resign from the militia – _EEEP!_ My arm! My arm! Ow! Ow! Captain, you're pulling on my arm too far! It's going to break! You're going to break my arm!"

July leaned closer to Camilla's ear. With a wide smile and gentle eyes, Captain Rose whispered, " _Resignation denied."_

"Please, Captain!" Camilla suddenly sobbed, tears of desperation pouring out of her eyes. "Don't make me go! I'm begging you!"

Oh? So, she's resorted to begging? Cute, but it won't work on her. The years of looking after her little sister have fortified her resolve. July respected her Vice-Captain, and it hurt her seeing the poor girl unable to express herself. What she was doing was cruel, but it was necessary.

"Communication is key to leadership!" She pulled her arm even higher much to Camilla's dismay.

Tough love.

"OWWWW! At least let me go alone!" Camilla pleaded through the pain. Her right arm was enveloped with a purple hue of energy; her resonating aura protecting her from further damage.

Alone?

Bargaining?

Captain Rose was having none of that in her militia. She tightened her grip and twisted the arm. A subtle current of electricity coursed into her restrained Vice-Captain. "You're going to be leading a team and that's final!"

Camilla's entire body spasmed from the literal and metaphorical shock.

 _"_ _~Somebody please help me! ~"_

* * *

 **Well,** **there you have it. Considering chapter 9 was long, I think I can be excused for having a seriously short chapter 10. And woah, chapter 10. This is the first 10** **th** **chapter for a story that I've ever reached so props for me.**

 **I should probably do something special. So, I'll tell you a little secret.** ** _Overlord_** **was actually my 3** **rd** **attempt at an SI-OC story. The other two were failed drafts.**

 **Starting with attempt #1**

 ** _RELOAD_**

 _I didn't expect to be reborn into Remnant after getting killed. Nor did I expect to end up becoming the partner of some idiot detective. Or somehow ending caught up in Ozpin's conspiracies. Oh, and let me be the first to tell you that immortality sucks._

We have SI-OC named Blank and the lovely Signal dropout detective Fia go out on crime-solving adventures that end up mostly solved from Blank having to rewind time thanks to his SAVE – LOAD semblance. The only catch is that he has to shoot himself in the head in order to access the Reload menu. Dropped it because it sounded too generic and not eye-catching enough.

 **Attempt # 2**

 ** _The Queen's Apprentice_**

 _If you were reincarnated into your favourite show, you'd want to help the good guys, right? Well, my case is the opposite. No one told me that I'd end up working for Salem…or that everyone in Remnant was idiots._

A massive misunderstanding comedy story where our poor SI-OC, "Placeholder name: Steve", gets mistaken for an evil psychopath and ends up being recruited into Salem's circle. Anytime he tries to do good, it backfires and gets misunderstood for something horribly evil. Everyone thinks he's corrupt: from Cinder fangirling over him, from Watts seeing him as a genius who's 10 steps ahead of everyone, from Hazel seeing him as a secret combat badass, to Salem considering him a potential successor. The only person who actually believes him is ironically Tyrian, who is his only friend in Remnant. Dropped because I couldn't see it last long term.


	11. Vice-Captain Invictus' Worries

_'_ _My name is Camilla Invictus and I don't have social anxiety.'_

That was the mantra she kept repeating in her head for the umpteenth time.

That, of course, was a blatant lie.

How she dreaded this day!

"Nice weather today, eh Vice-Captain Invictus?" _Shield_ spoke from behind. Camilla's shoulders tensed up from the sudden question.

Today, the sky was a beautiful blue canvas filled with crisp white clouds. And yet despite the warm weather, the air was freezing. Camilla was thankful for her crimson scarf. She and her team of three walked along an old pathway of dirt and stone, accompanied by a horse-pulled-cart in the centre of the formation. The chirping of birds and buzzing of insects were the only sounds that filled the extremely awkward gaps of silence.

Her brain fired off panic signals in hopes of finding the most appropriate answer.

"Uh…y-yeah." She quickly blurted, silver eyes refusing to meet the fellow warrior's from behind and instead remaining locked on the empty road ahead of her. _Really? Was that the best answer she could come up with?!_

They're probably making fun of her in their minds right now!

 _'…_ _I just want to go home and curl up in my blankets until I die…'_

"It's awfully quiet today. I wouldn't mind a warm-up with a beowolf or two, wouldn't you Vice-Captain?" _Hammer_ casually spoke beside her. Wait, beside her? H-Huh?! Camilla's heart rate tripled when she saw the armored red-head women suddenly walking alongside her. She had a very pretty face. To be honest, everyone in Argentum was better looking compared to her.

"…You're out of formation." Camilla replied in monotone.

AHHHH! Why did she say that?! That sounded so condescending!

"Y-You're right. Forgive me for stepping out of line, Vice-Captain." _Hammer_ coughed and hurryingly returned to the far side of the road. Great, now she'll spread the word that Camilla Invictus was a rude jerk to her peers. That's just great! Just what she needed!

"Pftt, a beowolf or two?" _Shield_ snickered out from the other side. "Are you under-minding the Vice-Captain? If she wanted a warm-up then she'd go after a nest of deathstalkers!"

What was he saying? There's no way she'd survive against a dozen deathstalkers! Are they making fun of her? They are, aren't they?

Oh dear god, they want her to die. They're telling her to die for being such an embarrassing Vice-Captain!

 _'_ _Breathe, Camilla! Breathe!'_

 _Hammer_ gasped from _Shield's_ comment. "I-I would do no such thing! Vice-Captain, you know that, right? Right? I would never insult your combat abilities!"

"R-Right." Her eyes were still locked in front of her. Now they're being sarcastic. She was a cowardly archer, there's no need to point out the obvious.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing. Trying to earn some points in the Vice-Captain's books. How low can you be?" _Shield_ said.

"Why you…!"

"Hush, both of you!" _Great-Sword_ , an old burly man, said from behind the cart. "Can't you see that the Vice Captain is trying to focus on her surroundings? Even if grimm-activity has been low lately, the Vice-Captain refuses to let her guard down. Since the very start of this mission, the Vice-Captain has been maintaining a tense composure, anticipating an attack at every possible angle!"

' _Ah, I finally understand now…'_

"We should have known better. As expected from Captain Rose's right hand. Forgive us for disrupting your attention, Vice-Captain Invictus!" _Hammer_ said.

"Yes, we apologize sincerely!" _Shield_ joined in.

 _'…_ _They're all ganging up on me.'_

 _Shield, Hammer,_ and _Great-Sword_. This was the team Captain Rose expected her to lead. They were all competent warriors if their records were any indication. Camilla, however, was all but incompetent. She's been a nervous wreck ever since they left Argentum. The overwhelming fear of screwing up rested heavily on her shoulders. She was not fit to be a leader at all!

Camilla was convinced that Captain Rose was an evil sadist.

Promoting her to Vice-Captain in her second year of service and then forcing her to lead a mission so soon? This was torture!

She was exhausted from lack of sleep and had forgotten the names of her team members. What kind of leader forgets the name of their subordinates? Instead, she decided to identify them based on their weapons. She'd rather die than ask them, 'excuse me, what's your name again?'

That would definitely make her social situation much, much worse.

This pathway seemed endless; when were they going to reach the town already?

A rustling sound from a nearby bush startled her. Before Camilla knew it, she had readied and fired an arrow straight into it. It was an automatic reflex at best or a nervous twitch at worst.

 _'_ _Why on Remnant did I do that? I'm so screwed. They're going to think I'm a weirdo!'_

"Vice-Captain, what's wrong?" _Shield_ asked, raising his spiked long shield in front of where the swift arrow landed. She could hear the clanking of armor from the other two as they readied their weapons. Camilla's blood froze from the question. It's times like these where she should just tell the truth. Who knows, maybe this will be the start of a good conversation?

"There's a creature of grimm in that bush." She lied with a straight face.

It was not a second after that Camilla was internally screaming and cursing herself in her mind.

"A g-grimm, Vice-Captain?" _Shield_ sounded alarmed by her statement. He looked at the shrub and then back to her. "But it's so tiny, what kind of grimm-?"

"Shut it!" _Great-Sword_ 's voice boomed, "You dare doubt the Vice-Captain's perception? Are you calling her a liar? No, you're questioning her sanity, aren't you? Why I never-!"

They're insulting her for that panic arrow, that's just great.

"I can't believe you'd say such a thing!"

"N-No, you got it all wrong!" _Shield_ waved his free arm frantically in the air with a face as red as Camilla's scarf. "I-I would never show such disrespect to Camilla!"

And more sarcasm with a hint of critical rage, just what she needed.

"First you question her sanity, and now you address her by her first name?!" _Hammer_ slammed her weapon's handle into the ground. _Thud!_ "Disrespectful! I should crack your skull open!"

Now they're threatening her. Over what? A single arrow?

Just what kind of team is this?!

"No! No! It's just that we graduated in the same year. I swear, it's just a bad habit." They were in the same class? That made her cringe inwardly. It's only been two years and she already forgot her classmates' names and faces. He turned to Camilla with wide eyes and heavy breaths. Oh god, he was absolutely livid with her! "I would never insult you, Vice-Captain Invictus. Please accept my deepest apologies for questioning your sound judgement!

"R-Right." She nodded. _Crazy, incompetent, and stupid_. That was what everyone was calling her right now.

 _Great-Sword_ huffed. "You should be grateful for having such a forgiving leader. The previous Captain would have knocked you out cold – I should know, I've experienced it. Well, don't just stand there, hurry up and check the bush."

Her face paled.

"Y-Yes!"

 _Oh no._

"Youth these days, no initiative whatsoever…"

Camilla had a defeated expression – solemn eyes and thin lips. So, this was it. Let the humiliation beg-

"It's all clear – w-wait, what's tha-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" _Shield_ 's abrupt scream shook everyone into focus. They all stared in horror as an armored beowolf – an alpha, given from its sheer size – emerged from the bush and grabbed their teammate by the head with one clawed hand. Black trails of dark mist seeped out from its monstrous body.

A lone arrow was plunged into its left shoulder.

There really was a creature of grimm in there!

W-What on Remnant? W-What? No…better question – Why was there a beowolf in a bush? How? Just how did something that large manage to hide in there?! This doesn't make any sense!

"D-Damn y-" _Shield_ screamed in agony when the alpha beowolf slammed him into the ground, sending a flurry of dirt and pebble in all directions. There was a haunting _*CRACK*_ that rang through the still air. His body emitted a flickering hue of white energy before dispersing into nothing.

With just a single blow, his entire aura was depleted.

Camilla hoped to god that it was only his aura that was broken. Heck, she would be fine with a shattered leg or arm. So long as her fellow warrior was still alive!

The horse neighed from the impact's trembling vibrations. "Woah, easy boy, easy!" _Hammer_ quickly brushed the horse's nose while holding onto the reins.

Without even uttering a word, the three remaining warriors of Argentum swiftly reorganized into a defensive formation, with _Hammer_ in the middle and _Great-Sword_ and Camilla on each side. Protocol dictated that mission objectives, especially transport assets, be prioritized. Personnel survival came second. Yes, Camilla saw herself as book-smart. Though, that would probably be the only redeeming quality she possessed.

The beowolf made a quick scan of its prey and paused at her, specifically her longbow and pulled arrow. Under normal circumstances, she would have immediately fired an arrow right through its forehead. But there were two problems presented before her.

The first issue was the thick skull plating that covered its entire head like a helmet. An ordinary arrow would just bounce off or barely dent it. Aiming at its eyeballs was the only option if she wanted to destroy the brain.

As for the second, and probably most difficult issue…

 _'_ _Stupid shivering hands! Calm down, please calm down. What if I miss? What if I miss?! Oh, who am I kidding, I'm definitely going to miss!'_ Camilla's thoughts were in disarray. Why did there have to be people around her? An icy chill had wrapped around her entire body. A cold sweat slid down her cheek.

"Vice-Captain, what are you waiting for – take the shot!" _Hammer_ cried out.

 _'_ _Stop pressuring m-!'_

The beowolf quickly lifted the fallen comrade and presented his limp form in front of Camilla's line of sight. Was it taunting h – _oh no_. Her heart sank and her breathing came to a frozen standstill. _Shield_ coughed out dust as a trickle of blood streamed down his face. His hazy silver eyes darted to the three of them and then widened upon the current situation "F-Fuck…"

A third problem had presented itself:

 _Shield_ was being used as a human shield ( _Oh, the irony_ ).

"Lad!" _Great-Sword_ called out to the young man.

"F-Forget about me!" _Shield_ coughed, some blood dripping under his chin. "I-It's my fault for being so careless. Take the shot, Vice-Captain Invictus! Shoot through me. I'm…I'm willing to die for the mission. For Argentum!"

 _~ Woah, woah, woaaah ~_ There's no need for sacrifices! She inwardly screamed a torrent of sorrow at her predicament. Does he have any idea how much trouble she'd be in if she killed an ally? Captain Rose's wrath would surely come crackling down like furious thunder! What would the village think of her after that?

As Summer Rose would say when asked to hold back on sugar, " _Nope! Not going to happen!"_

 _'_ _Besides, how strong do you think my arrow is? There's no way I can pierce through your body and still retain enough force to-'_

The arrow slipped out of her shaking fingers. It soared through the air, completely missing its target and striking into the tree beside it. The accuracy was so bad that even the beowolf turned its head to take in her failure.

She…missed. She wasn't sure if she should be glad or utterly depressed for that. What will the others think of her now?

 _Shield_ looked at her with shock. "V-Vice-Captain…?"

SHE HAD ONE JOB AND SHE MESSED IT UP.

"Has the dirt gone into your brain?" _Great-Sword_ said. Ah, here comes the verbal harassment. "Did you think the Vice-Captain would miss her target? You fool! She purposely shot in that direction!"

 _'_ _Hey, can we trade places? I've lost the will to live…'_

"S-She…missed on purpose?" _Hammer_ blurted out.

"Of course! Read between the lines. Weren't you paying attention to the way she was fidgeting her arrow earlier? How long did it take for either of us to realize he was still alive? One glance was all the Vice-Captain needed to ascertain his condition. Look at the bigger picture. Don't you see?" He points at the bleeding fellow. "It was a message that couldn't be put into words. She wants you to live, young man!"

Tears began to well up in _Shield_ 's eyes. "I…I had no idea. V-Vice-Captain, you truly are an angel!"

 _'_ _You're being held hostage and you still want to insult me like the others?!'_

"Don't worry lad, we're all leaving here alive." _Great-Sword_ steadied his weapon with both hands.

Easier said than done. Their options were limited given the position _Shield_ was in. They were stuck in a deadlock. Each passing second was awful. Like a coin was being tossed 100 times and if it landed on tails even once, the worst possible outcome would occur. This beowolf was different from the typical grimm. To use a human being as a shield…how long has this beowolf survived in the world?

Actually, maybe something could be done. An idea sprung up, a chance for redeeming herself amongst her team. She pulled another arrow, its tip gleaming a shade of pale blue. If Camilla couldn't penetrate its defences, then she would have to remove it altogether.

There was a tiny opening right between _Shield_ 's neck leading straight to its face. Would her team finally forgive her? No! There was no time for questions and doubts. Too much was riding on this shot! She had to land it – even if her hands were trembling like crazy. Just pull back, aim, and sh-

She released the arrow too early. The flying arrow narrowly avoided _Shield_ 's neck and sunk into its left shoulder. A small glacier of ice erupted upon impact. The beowolf grunted in pain, its entire body recoiling in shock from the ice arrow's effect. It staggered a foot back. Glittering frozen shards danced in the air as the ice dust began to spread through its left arm.

A sharp pain struck her heart. Self-pity washed over her. Damn it, she missed again!

"Excellent shot, Vice-Captain! Immobilizing the beast – a brilliant strategy!" _Hammer_ exclaimed.

Please stop with the sarcasm!

"Many thanks for presenting us with an opening, Vice-Captain!" _Great-Sword_ dashed in from the side with his massive sword tearing through the ground. "Take this beast – _HIYYYAAAA!"_

He aimed for its lower torso, hoping to cleave its body into two. The attack was ineffective, however. The beowolf used its own left arm to block the sword's target. The ice dust had yet to completely freeze the limb to the point where it could easily be shattered. Worse, it only helped fortify the arm by hardening the muscles. The large sword only managed to cut into a chunk of the forearm before coming to a chilling halt.

"W-Wha-" The beowolf threw _Shield_ straight at the old man, sending the two men into a sprawling mess on the ground. The sword remained in the beowolf's frozen flesh.

The two women stared with wide eyes as the beowolf tore the massive weapon out with its right claw, bits of muscle fibre and chunky blood fell to the ground. It gazed into the bloodied steel with its grip on the blade itself. It was almost as if it was inspecting it. No, wait what-

It bared its fangs for all to see, throwing the great sword up into the air only to catch it by the handle.

"I-Impossible. For a creature of grimm, much less a beowolf, to wield a weapon…it's…it's unheard of!" _Great-Sword_ said while lifting _Shield_ by the shoulder.

It swung the great-sword aside. Camilla brought her arms up to block the enormous gust of wind. She could feel the pulling sensation from her scarf fluttering from the howling gale. The infinite tree branches all swooshed and crackled. To wield a two-handed weapon with just one arm and produce that much force? This wasn't just any ordinary beowolf. Just _what_ exactly were they going up against?

"Steady! Steady!" _Hammer_ did her best to calm down the stallion. She turned to Camilla. "Vice-Captain, what should we do? Give us your orders!"

 _'_ _Why are you asking me?!'_ She screamed in her mind. She looked at the rest of her team with panicked eyes. _Hammer_ was struggling to keep the horse from running away, _Great-Sword_ was disarmed and had his hands full with _Shield,_ who currently incapacitated at the moment. Camilla had no idea what to do. Her mind was drawing a blank.

Some leader she turned out to be…

And to make matters worse, the sword-wielding beowolf seemed to have its murderous eyes only on her. Why only her?!

"Abandon the mission and return to the village." Wait, why did she say that?! Everyone's going to think she's an incompetent coward!

… _Even if it was slightly true._

"W-what? B-But we can't just do that!" _Hammer_ protested.

Stupid mouth!

"I'm ordering all of you to retreat. I'll lure it away. Use that time to run." She said. There was definitely a better option, but she couldn't for the life of her grasp it. If this was Captain Rose, she would have done the best option in a heartbeat. But she wasn't Captain Rose, she was just Vice-Captain Invictus. An awkward girl whose first instinct was to run when confronted with anxiety.

 _'_ _Urgh, I'm going to be in so much trouble…'_

"But-!"

She didn't even have time to blink when the beowolf dashed at her.

Camilla jumped back with a burst of energy in her feet, missing the crushing downward swing by an inch. The ground beneath her shook. A dust cloud had erupted into the air and all she could make out was a hulking shadow with glowing orbs of death.

She fired a quick shot into the fog, earning a frustrated growl from the beowolf.

It's now or never.

"Vice-Cap-!"

Pumping all the anxious energy into her legs, Camilla sprinted into the forest. She didn't know how far she distanced herself from her team. She couldn't hear their voices calling out for her anymore. The only thing she was aware of was that a very pissed off beowolf was chasing her down with a sword. If the excessive howling and rampaging was any indication, she didn't know what else could point that out.

 _'_ _I should have just called in sick today.'_

* * *

 _Meanwhile…_

"What do you think you're doing?" _Great-Sword_ asked his hammer-wielding teammate who was about to about to break off into the forest.

"What does it look like?" She said, "I'm going to assist the Vice-Captain. You should head back witho-"

"No, you're not." He interjected.

"Excuse me?"

"You're not going to assist anyone besides us." He readjusted his fallen teammate by his shoulder for emphasis. "We were ordered to retreat, so that's what we'll do."

"But I can't just run away knowing our leader is out there fighting against…against… _that thing_!" _Hammer_ gestured at the deep crater in the middle of the road. A part of her was in awe of how the Vice-Captain could dodge such a devastating attack.

"We'll only slow her down, fool!" He shouted back. "You saw the way she was looking at us with those _calculating_ eyes. In a mere second Vice-Captain Invictus saw every possible outcome with every possible countermeasure. If she wanted us to forfeit our lives then she would have said so already. She chose the best outcome for all of us."

She broke eye contact with the old man. "I…I had no idea."

 _Great-Sword's_ stern gaze softened. He placed the young man into the back of the cart. "I won't stop you if you decide to go. How can I when I'm weaponless and have our friend to take care of? But just know that you'll be spitting in her face if you go. You'd be running her leadership and compassion through the dirt."

She considered the deep forestry full of distant howls and looked back at _Great-Sword_. "You're right. It was foolish of me to doubt the Vice-Captain." She returned to the rest of the team, placing a hand over their horse's nose. "I'm a little jealous of her. She's so young and talented, and yet she's willing to carry such a heavy burden." She paused for a moment. "So that tiny piece of jealousy? It's overshadowed by a mountain of respect."

"Aye, I'm sure the rest of the militia feels the same." He said.

They embarked on their way home with a silent prayer for their leader's victory over the cunning beast of darkness. One could only imagine the blood-curdling insanity behind its eyes.

* * *

 **(Mordred POV)**

 _~ Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck ~_

How the hell did I end up in this situation?

Am I cursed? I must be. All I wanted to do was just observe some huntsmen. I swear I had no evil intent. I was just curious what an ordinary day on the job looked like. But I guess hiding in a bush as a pup was enough for that archer to sink an arrow into my small shoulder. How the hell did she even know I was in there?

What was her name again? Carmen? Caramel? Cottage-cheese? Whatever, I'll call her _Violet_ because of her hair.

I think I was digging my grave deeper and deeper after that. Crushing that poor man was an accident, a knee-jerk reaction from being shot and underestimating my own strength in Alpha form. Thank god for aura. I'll admit that using an injured man as an arrow shield was scummy on my part. But since when did I ever adhere to the _honourable rules_ of combat? (Spoilers: there aren't any).

And that little sword performance? C'mon, who doesn't have sword-wielding fantasies? I was practically tap-dancing in my head when I caught that sword in the air. I felt like a badass! I'm a little glad the ice had shut down my entire arm's sense of touch and pain. Though I'm bothered from having a useless appendage that's dangling on torn muscles.

Which brings us to the current moment.

While I'm happy that she gave me an opportunity to get away, I feel like an idiot for having to pretend I'm a big bad beowolf hunting her down. While I won't necessarily kill her, I'm still going to fight her. I need to see how far I've progressed in terms of strength after all.

The left side of my body was both freezing and burning if that made any sense. Navigating through the terrain and trees was difficult for me in my current state. My frozen arm kept banging into obstacles and my sword kept getting wedged between roots and boulders. Urgh, it's so hard running with this thing. Why am I still holding this piece of metal? I should have dropped it back on the pathway – _WOAH!_

I would have had an arrow lodged in my skull if I didn't tilt my head that last second!

Violet stopped running. She positioned herself in a small clearing, giving her a full 360 view of her position. Clever girl. I can see her a good distance away from me, her silver longbow gleaming from the sun's reflection. There's a flickering of light before another arrow whirls past my neck. I could feel a chilling touch when I passed the arrow. Oh my god she plans on turning my brain into a popsicle.

I zig-zag between the trees, using them as cover from Violet's arrows. The plan works, well, mostly anyways. Just as I moved on to the next tree an arrow plunged deep into my thigh. _Ouch!_ I move on to the next tree and – what do you know – another arrow shot into my lower ribs this time. No, it's fine, really. I'm almost there. Next time, I'll go left instea- _son of a bitch_!

An abrupt shock of pain shot through me followed by a paralyzing chill. Violet's arrow landed into the mini-glacier growing out of my shoulder and _shattered it_. And I'm not talking about the ice here. I'm talking about my literal shoulder! Without anything to hold it, my useless left arm fell to the ground. Why is it always the left arm?

She could predict my movements in that short amount of time…huntresses were scary.

And yet…

 **"** **Haaaah…"**

I was grinning with wide exposed fangs. My blood was frantic and boiling with adrenaline. What a rush this was! I haven't felt this excited from a fight in ages. Who knew this twisted game of cat and mouse could be so much fun!

My grin shifted into a sneer. You think you can predict my movements? You think I'm just some lowly beowolf that's not worth half your skills? I'll show you the consequences of underestimating me!

I used my entire body weight and hip to swing my sword at the tree. It cleaved right through it like butter. There was a loud hollow _*CRACK*_ which was followed up with an echo of collapse that rung throughout the forest.

Timber!

"What?" I overheard Violet.

Oh, you have no idea what's in store for you.

I don't wait for the tree to come crashing down. I dash around Violet's perimeter, cleaving through any tree within my sword's reach. Violet became distracted with my little surprise; her arrows seemed to have lost their accuracy and precision. The ground beneath me shook and trembled when a tower of lumber fell. It must have been much worse for her; an earthquake if anything.

As soon as I ran around the entire circle I stopped and inspected my handiwork.

Look at yourself, little huntress. Your position that you thought was so brilliant and tactical, now transformed into your personal prison. It must be awful. Waiting in dead silence as the seconds filled with paranoia tick by. I could feel it – your rising anxiety and fear for the unknown. Go on, shoot me. Fire an arrow straight through my skull! What's wrong, can't you see me? I'm right in front of you!

Oh, that's right…

A gust of wind blew in our direction. The ground-level leaves rustled with a much stronger volume and intensity. Violet stood at the centre of the reduced clearing with her bow ready. Any sudden sound would snap her bow in that direction in a heartbeat. Violet couldn't shoot at me anymore.

 _Not when I have the full cover of collapsed trees at my disposal._

My grin was maddening.

This game of cat and mouse was over.

Now, Violet, what will you do next?

* * *

 **(Summer POV)**

Summer wasn't entirely sure if wearing her cape today was a good idea.

There was a good chance that the white cloth was going to get dirty and July was going to scold her again. But she just had to wear it. _'Really Summer? Why did you bring the tablecloth outside?'_ she could imagine her saying something like that. Like she already said, July was super cool but there were times when her older sister said some weird things. Her older sister wore a cape every day, so why did Summer get in trouble for wearing one?

She had to do this. She had already steeled her resolve when she left for the forest to meet wi – _confront!_ – the villain Mordred. Summer just had to show them how cool she looked with a cape. A part of her squealed in delight at what their reaction would be as she laughed into the sun with a fluttering cape behind her back and her hands over her hips.

"Now, where are you-" There was a subtle explosion in the far distance accompanied by what sounded like a monstrous howl. "Ah, there you are! Today's the day I'm going to be the one to catch you off guard!"

Honestly, fighting Grimm again?

 _~Typical Mordred ~_

It was a bit far, but that didn't stop her. Summer ran towards Mordred with a skip in her step.

* * *

 **"** ** _I'm perfectly sane, I swear!" – Mordred, the_** ** _reliable honest narrator._**

 **Invictus: "Unconquerable" or "undefeated"**

 **Camilla: Originated from Latin mythology of the "Warrior Queen"**

 **Mistakes were made in character creation. Dear god, who have I created?**


	12. Camilla's Struggle

**Hello, I'm back. Just so you know I don't have summer break – life science all year baby. All I can say is that you should get one of those "hype songs" ready – in your mind/ new tab, up to you.**

* * *

Camilla has had her fair share of grimm encounters. She's seen grimm that could burrow underground and even one that could possess objects. To be completely honest, she would rather go up against a flock of nevermore than engage in a conversation with her peers. She wasn't so sure about that claim now. Whatever this _thing_ she was up against was clearly on a whole new level of monstrosity.

There was a gentle snapping sound from behind. It was enough to send warning signals through her mind. She turned and snapped her bow into position with her grip steeled and prepared.

But there was nothing there. It was just a cluster of torn bark, branches, and leaves. The same thing could be said to her entire surrounding. The beowolf changing tactics had taken her back in shock. Camilla anticipated a couple scenarios but closing her in with trees was unexpected. It had the advantage now. Camilla could just blast the trees away with one of her fire arrows but that would result in a massive forest fire. She had a big enough problem as it was.

The dreadful silence and anticipation was unnerving. The only things she could hear were the rustling leaves in the wind and her own rising heartbeat. She scanned the environment, her silver eyes darting from left to right in rapid succession. There wasn't even a hint of snarling.

Camilla couldn't do anything but wait.

And wait.

She was trapped in its twisted game.

An explosion of leaves erupted right in front of her followed with what she could only make out as unholy screaming. A large shadow soared through the air with its massive great-sword blocking out the sun. There was a brief second of fear and panic. Only a single second before something in her clicked and her combat experience and training consumed her thoughts. Her eyes narrowed, her breathing came to a steady standstill.

She rolled aside to avoid the incoming blow. The beowolf's strike shook the world beneath her. A cloud of dirt and a flurry of leaves filled her surroundings. Her dangling scarf tugged back from the wind as she struggled to maintain her foothold. She couldn't see anything but its silhouette. Not a second had passed before the shadow dashed in and swung at her. Her instincts fired signals into her legs, forcing her to jump away from the decapitating attack.

The fog dispersed immediately.

There was an unending fury behind its eyes as it ran to her. Camilla fired an arrow right for its eyes but the beowolf dodged it with ease. The sword came in as an arcing slash. Its reflection gleamed in her eyes. It was heavy, powerful, and fast. Yet it was predictable at the same time. She rolled aside and fired another arrow into its thigh. That earned her a furious snarl.

Her heart was racing, each rapid beat was loud enough that her ears could hear its echoes. It didn't matter if her aura reserves were full. She knew without a doubt in her mind that a single strike would destroy her. It was a terrifying thought. But it was just what she needed to focus.

It slashed at her once more.

But all it managed to cut was empty space. Its technique was clumsy, resembling a beginner holding a sword for the first time.

Another arrow plunged under its ribcage.

The beowolf's attacks were highly telegraphed. They were swift, that much was obvious. But there was always this brief windup – lasting no more than approximately half a second – before it slashed at her. That was enough time for her to analyze how the next movement would come out.

This time the beowolf raised the sword high into the sky. Before the downward strike could sink into the earth, Camilla had already slid past its legs and stabbed an arrow deep into its lower calf. She then used her momentum to kick herself into the air, twisting her body to aim and fire two more arrows into the exposed portions of its upper back.

The beast staggered forward.

Camilla pressed her advantage further. With a steady breath she pulled back an arrow, its tip dyed dark purple and fired it into the joint behind its left knee. The impact caused the alpha beowolf to fall on its knee. And then –

 **"** **AAAARRRRRHHHHHHHHH!"** It roared out in anguish as torrents of burning steam erupted out of its leg. The greatsword fell to the ground from it twitching claws. Its entire body shook and vibrated from the heat shock. Fire and ice weren't the only elements she used for arrows. Steam was quite the effective element for dealing internal damage. She couldn't imagine how a human body could handle the massive spike in body temperature.

The beowolf's cries stopped. Its lone arm hung lifelessly by its still body. Trickles of blood seeped out of the impaled arrows. The frozen stump of where its left arm used to be had melted into a fleshy lump. Puffs of faint smoke and blood escaped out of its disfigured shoulder.

She let out a shaky breath of relief into her scarf. This should be enough to shut the creature down.

 **"** **Haaah…"**

Her eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat. "What?"

" **Hah…hah…hah…"** The distorted snarls grow louder and more feral with each passing second. No, that's impossible – there's no way it could have survived-

 **"** **HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!"** The beowolf bellowed out a bizarre cacophony into the sky. Her blood froze at the nightmare in front of her. It was…laughing? A beowolf was laughing? It was enjoying this? That's…

The cackling stops. The air around her grew cold and hollow accompanied with an indescribable feeling of dread. Her heart was thumping frantically. There was still time to end this! All she needed to do was fire another arrow. So why? Why couldn't she reach for her quiver? Why was she trembling? This feeling, this was…

The beowolf reared its head at her.

Beads of chilling sweat crept down her cheek as she stared into its unblinking crimson eyes filled with insanity alongside a maddening grin that dripped hungering saliva.

 _Bloodlust._

It ripped the steam arrow out and impaled it straight into its left shoulder. **"AAARRRGHH!"** Its entire body trembled once more until the arrow was ripped out. And then everything became silent. Panic was reaching new levels that Camilla didn't even know she had. Did…did the beowolf just cauterize its wound? But how was that possible? Where did it learn the theory and application behind such a technique?

The beowolf reached for the hilt. It raised its right leg and spun to face her. It no longer stood upright, it was different; _the stance was more feral_. Its body was hunched over with the massive blade over its shoulder with uneven legs, bent and low to the ground. It was clear that the right leg was the sole pillar of support.

In a calm and methodical manner, she reached for another arro-

Without a sign of warning the beowolf had leapt through the air and slammed the sword straight into her previous position.

 _'_ _What was that? That…that was too close. Way too close!'_ She managed to roll away at the very last second. A cold bead of sweat rolled down her face. She didn't have to time to think any further as she narrowly sidestepped a powerful rising swing. Debris of dirt and dust were flung into the air. A strong uplifting wind rushed through her. Now was her chance to counter at-!

The beowolf chomped into the upper shaft of her arrow with massive fangs. Her eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat. Wha – when did it close in on her?! Camilla jumped back as far as possible until she could feel the fallen branches poking the back of her neck. The destroyed arrow was discarded onto the ground while the arrow-tip was spat out.

This is bad. Camilla didn't know how it was physically possible but this beowolf became _faster_. It didn't make sense. One of its legs was barely functioning, not to mention the amount of blood loss at this point.

The beowolf howled, ripping through the air once more with the raised greatsword. She slid forward to avoid the meteor attack, leaving behind a loud crash and another earthquake. She reared her head and – the beowolf was already behind her! Camilla kicked away from the sword mid-swing. Purple sparks of her aura scattered across the air as the blade's tip slashed her neck. Her throat tightened from the sensation.

Another swing! Another lunge! Another chomp!

She didn't have time to counter-attack. Her entire focus was set on barely dodging its blows. She couldn't read the beowolf's movements anymore. Its attack pattern changed significantly. It wasn't a poor imitation of human sword techniques anymore. Now, the attacks were random and void of all logic and reasoning. They were primal, wild, and outright brutal. The only reason she was still alive was from pure muscle reflex and adrenaline. She could feel the constant vibrations running through her boots every time that stolen sword crashed onto the ground.

Something changed in that monster; almost as if a "switch" had been flipped.

It broke away from Camilla, opting to stay in the centre of the arena. It dug the blade deep into the terrain. What? It had the range advantage against her. Why would it – just what was it planning now?

Her eyes darted in all directions and soon the dots connected. The entire floor around her had been reduced to rubble! Why didn't she realize it any sooner? She thought it was just blind rage controlling its actions. That was far from the truth. The deranged beast had laid out its trap hidden in plain sight against her.

But it was too late.

The beowolf spun around like a twister. A chaotic storm of ruined debris kicked up. Her scarf tugged back. Her eyes narrowed from the ensuing waves of dust. She bit the inside of her cheek. She couldn't even make out its silhouette in the fog! What made it even more terrifying was the unnatural silence among the whistling winds. She expected the alpha to immediately attack.

She held her bow and primed arrow with stiff muscles and cold blood. Camilla let out a steady breath. Now was not the time to be freaking out.

 _'_ _Just focus on the sounds around you and feel the shifts in the air current. I can do this. Do or die, Camilla, do or die.'_

There was a faint rustling of branches from the far left. Without giving a second thought, she snapped in that direction and let the arrow soar through the fog.

It missed its mark and disappeared into a tree.

 **"** **Hah hah hah hah hah…!"** That accursed strangled laughter haunted the air. She fired another arrow but it missed again. It "laughed" at her attempts, taunting her in what seemed like every direction. While most would have felt anger building up or fallen into despair, Camilla chose neither. For every missed shot, for every mocking howl, it only pushed her drive further.

Just as she was about to reach for her quiver she felt an incoming presence from behind. Something was whirling right at her! She rolled aside fully expecting another earthquake from the beowolf's impact.

But it never came.

Instead, there was a soft thud.

Her eyes widened. It was at that moment that her heart skipped a beat.

That…that wasn't a sword. It…it was…

Its severed arm!

 _'_ _But if that's its…then…!'_

 **"** **GGGAAAAARRRRHHH!"**

Her instincts took full control of her body. She spun around and –

The mighty greatsword collided with the centre of her longbow. The fog instantly dispersed. The ground beneath her feet crumbled from the sheer force. A tremendous jolt of pain coursed through her legs. It felt as if her knees were going to shatter at any given moment. The power from its strike was overwhelming!

She had coated her bow in radiant violet light. Professor Peejun's teachings on aura utilization had saved her from being cleaved in half. But still…

 **"** **GRRRRHAAAHHH!"** The alpha drove its fury forward, forcing its entire body weight on top of her. It stared down at her with wide pulsating eyes with drool oozing from the corner of its jaw. She clenched her teeth and squinted back with desperate defiance. She sank deeper into the destroyed surface; her legs shook and were on the verge of collapse. Her arms lit ablaze in agony as she struggled with all her might to repel its attack.

A haunting _*CRACK*_ reverberated along her bow.

Her aura wasn't enough. The guillotine was approaching closer and closer. Immense sweat poured down her forehead. Camilla mustered as much aura as she could into her longbow. The protective light flickered and waned like a candle in the middle of a blizzard.

It wasn't enough!

A harsh ringing engulfed her ears.

The pain – oh god the pain! – her entire body was screaming out for mercy. Tears squeezed out from her shut eyes. There was a depressing dull feeling building up in the back of her mind. The insides of her chest were being crushed from within; it was the worst suffocating feeling she had ever experienced. One of her knees finally gave out and fell to the ground.

Did she…did she finally surrender? Has her body finally reached its breaking point?

Was this it? Was this where she would meet her end? Cut into pieces by a psychotic grimm consumed in its senseless howling?

An image of Argentum appeared in her mind in fine detail. From the various buildings she passed by. To the faint shadows of the people she came to know. The pain had overwhelmed her senses. She couldn't see her home.

Only the darkness of reality.

What a stupid idiot! She was never cut out to be Vice-Captain. There were far better candidates than someone as useless as her!

That's…that's right.

 _This was fine._

 _With Camilla gone, Argentum's militia will have a much better Vice-Captain._

 _If anything, she was doing the village a favour. What's the point of improving if you're never going to see results? It was all a lie. She was neither strong nor out-going to begin with. She should just disappear into nothing…_

 _'_ _I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! Please don't be mad at me Captain Rose. I tried…I really tried my best to meet your expectations. But it wasn't enough. I'm sorry-_

A small gentle breeze brushed by.

A sudden surge of light sprang up in the haze of her despair.

Did she finally die? Was this the embrace of death?

No.

This was a familiar feeling – it was a nostalgic warmth. This warmth that hugged around her neck…

In her mind, she could see the still image of a boy. The features were all distorted and hazy – the only thing she could make out was his goofy grin. He was holding something with outstretched arms. What was he holding? It looked so familiar. It was…red?

Ah…

 _'_ _That's right. I remember now.'_

Her soul ignited in brilliant flames, illuminating every corner of her being. She could feel the grip around her bow tightening, its aura suddenly resonating with newfound strength. She pushed upward, commanding her body to surpass its limits.

 _'_ _I can't die here. I won't! I still have a promise to keep!'_

Camilla Invictus was going to survive.

Even if it meant coughing up some blood to do so.

* * *

 **(Mordred POV)**

This euphoric rush coursing through my veins; it was so exhilarating! All the colors in my vision were so intense and vibrant. Ah, I'm drooling – but who cares. Let me have my fun! I could feel my heart pounding from battle, hearing its raging war cry reinvigorating me with a feeling I thought would never return. Yes – this is what it means to be powerful!

My muscles tighten and I force my strength against Violet. The sound of crumbling rubble beneath us only seem to excite me even more. What was it that made you huntsmen so special? Your unlocked aura? Well, how's that working out for you? It's hilarious that you think a glowing bow is going to protect you!

Hey…

That face you're making right now – this expression of despair…

 _I don't know why but it's really pissing me off._

Hey, Violet, is this really the extent of your abilities? Stop giving me that disgusting look and fight me. Fight me like the entire world depended on it.

If you don't, I might accidentally kill you. Is that what you really want?

"Guh…!" She screamed through her teeth. Her eyes shot wide open directly into mine. Her despair vanished and all I could feel was an overwhelming emotion similar to anger. Staring into those unflinching eyes filled with burning determination made the corners of my mouth skyrocket with glee. That's right. This is what I wanted.

I leaned further.

 _I must say…you are truly, truly, TRULY-_

 **"** **HA HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!"**

Wonderful!

How wonderful you are, huntress!

Her bow glowed even brighter. My racing heart skipped a beat when I felt a tremendous upward force.

 _~Ahhh~ I've forgotten how terrifying humans are when they've been pushed into the farthest corners of life and death!_

I howled at her. That's right, show me! Show me your power! I won't let you beat me. You hear me? Never again will I endure that humiliation. I refuse to lose to a hunter!

Despite being locked in a struggle for her life I heard Violet release a slow exaggerated sigh.

It happened in slow motion. Without even a sign of warning, the woman beneath my sword vanished. There were no audible cues or visual effects – she just * _popped*_ out of existence.

And somehow ended up right beside me holding what looked like a glowing white arrow ready to stab – _Oh son of a b-_

"HHHYYYYAAA-" That was the last thing I heard before I was consumed in a twister. The trees creaked and all the rubble that I made whipped up into the whirling air. I couldn't hear anything but the muffled whistling whirlwind. My head was going to split open any second now. My entire world spun and distorted. I found myself weightless, hurtling airborne all while my body collided and trashed with the cluster of debris. My flesh was being torn apart.

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't breathe, dammit!

All I could do was scream away the remaining air in my suffocating lungs.

N-No! This isn't over!

Barring my fangs, I outstretched my free arm until my claws finally managed to reach the ground. I closed them inward with all my might. My arm trembled as I was dragged brutally across the ground. It felt as if my fingers were going to be ripped apart from this tornado! I…need to stay grounded! Come on, use your feet damn it!

I come to a sliding halt after half-burying myself into the ground. I endured inside the mouth of the raging tornado until the slashing winds died down. Violet had launched me at a very considerable distance. The path ahead of me had been reduced to ruin. Trees, boulders, vegetation – everything had been flipped upside down.

My breathing was unsteady. A sharp stabbing pain every time I take a breath. Oh god, I think my ribs punctured one of my lungs. My limbs have become numb and yet everywhere ached and burned. Cuts were scattered all over my body. Blood was pouring out of me like one of those park fountains.

My chest tightened. Not out of pain but out of building fury. That damn memory of the _storm_. The events kept looping. Over and over. All ending to the horrific scene in the sky. My wounded body was trembling with a paralyzing chill down my spine.

 _Damn…damn…damn…DAMN IT ALL!_

This was fucking bullshit! Not again, not again! I resolved myself to become strong. To be the greatest beowolf that ever existed, right? I'm stronger than before. I know it. _I practically feel it coursing through my veins._

So why?

What am I missing?

Why is it that every single time I have the upper hand against these huntsmen they always seem to have a "get-out-of-jail" card in their arsenal? Does everyone have a broken semblance in Remnant? Can I go up against a semblance that isn't cheat-broken? _Where's my overpowered ability?!_

H-hey…why is everything getting blurry? Shit. No, no, stay awake! Get up, now isn't the time to rest. Urgh, so heavy… did a tree manage to land on me?

 **"** **Ghrr…hrrr…"** What the heck? That wasn't me. I glance up and a pang of joy hits me.

A stray ursa was lying on top of me. I could feel the warm liquid trickling away while the grimm was pressed over me. Its breathing was slow and growing weaker. Poor thing must have gotten impaled with my spinal spikes in the chaos. Hey pal, I have a favour to ask you. You look like you have some spare time so…

 **Could you help a fellow creature of grimm out and** ** _lend me a hand_** **?**

 **"** **Gr…hah..."**

Oh? Sorry I couldn't make that out. Let me just flex my shoulders and –

 **"** **Guh…..."**

The sound of evaporating ashes filled the air.

What's this? It's not just a hand you want to lend but your entire body as well? Well, who am I to decline such a generous offer!

 _Don't worry, I won't let your contribution go to waste._

I lifted myself up with my repaired muscles. I gave my new left arm a good stretch. Tsk, it feels lighter than usual. There probably wasn't enough Essence to completely restore my body.

My right hand felt empty. Violet's arrow robbed me of that old man's sword. I scowled at the destruction that the lone arrow had done. It doesn't matter! I don't need a sword to win against you. I'll find a way to adapt; just you watch. You haven't won, do you understand?

All you did was simply reset our game of cat and mouse. I'll hunt you down as many times as it takes until either my head gets blown off or I stand over you victorious. God, why do I feel so excited at the thought of fighting her again? It was making my fur stand on its ends while my tail wagged furiously from side to side.

I dashed into the forestry on all fours with an absolute focus on Violet's scent. High adrenaline rushed through my veins as I blitzed through the surroundings to the point where my feet were flying over leaves and stone. Faster! Faster! I don't care if my lungs get frostbite from the cold air!

I wonder what she's doing now? Was she running home or looking for my decaying corpse? Hope you're ready for a surprise.

"Aha! I found you Mordr – h-hey! Wait, come back!"

Once I'm close enough I'll –

"Mordred, get back here this instant!"

I heard a shrill and annoying scream from behind. Wait, that voice, why is - I slammed headfirst into a tree.

Last time I checked there weren't supposed to be stars in the middle of the day. Focus! I need to get back to-

 _Huh?_

 _Wait…what was it that I was supposed to be doing again?_

I saw a small figure in white from behind and already I could feel my irritation levels spiking. I grinded my teeth at Summer Rose. Did you just order me as if I was some pet dog? Again?! You arrogant little munchkin!

Just wait until I get my claws on you.

" _Hah…hah…hah…"_ Summer panted heavily with a hunched over back when she caught up. Hold on, why do you have a tablecloth over your back? She raised a finger up to me. "Just give me a moment until I… _haaaah_ …just … _"_

She leaned back and gulped in a large amount of air.

 _What now?_

 _"_ _Who the heck do you think I am?"_ Summer yelled at me at the top of her lungs.

I think you're an annoying girl that doesn't know how to pace herself. I could go and on but I'm sure the list would reach infinity.

"I'm the Hero, the main character!" Summer declared for the umpteenth time, pointing to herself with both thumbs for dramatic effect. _Yes, yes, you're the protagonist, I get it._ "In case you've forgotten, you're supposed to stop when I'm here. That's the whole point of hero-villain confrontation!"

 **"** **Grrr…"** _Yes, yes, I'm the antagonist, I get it._

"Don't get petty with me, Mordred. I'm just trying to help." She crossed her arms and looked away with a pout. I would have called this girl cute had I not come to learn how much of a brat she was.

I snarled while rolling my eyes.

Her eyes lit up with a playful smile. I don't like that look at all. "Oh? You're wondering about my super cool cape of justice?"

No, wait –

"Hoho, it's only expected that a hero should look the part when saving the world."

What are you –

Oh, right.

It's only been a week and I almost forgot about your delusions. Thank you for reminding me. Besides, your "cape" is a bit too large, don't you think?

The sparkle in her eyes hasn't left yet. In fact, I think they only got brighter much to my dismay. "Hey, watch this. You better burn this into your memory because I'm only going to do this once." Summer picked up the back of the white tablecloth and tossed it aside, allowing it to flutter with a flourish. She struck a pose and declared, "I am Summer Rose, Hero from Argentum, wielder of the holy sword. Face me Villain, your end has come!"

Argentum? That must be where she lived. I wonder if there was any meaning behind that name?

"Heh, I see my amazing performance has left you speechless." She huffed her chest full of pride.

Wait for it.

 _"…_ _Nailed it!"_

Honestly, this delusional girl was hopeless.

Hmm? Hold on…

The more I look at it the more it's starting to resemble the white cloak from the show. Maybe if I just reach over and…

"H-Hey what are you – no! Not the branch agai– huh?" There was a hint of confusion in her tone after I pulled her hood up. Hmm, no good. It still doesn't look right. Is it my height? What if I get on all fours and lower myself?

"O-Oh, I see! You want to see my introduction with my hood up. Why didn't you say so?"

My heart sank. Summer, please wait I-

She opted for a wide stance with outstretched arms this time. "On the darkest days, my sabre shall eradicate all evils! Beware evil-doers! I am the Sword-Saint S-"

I dashed in front of Summer, using my back as a shield from the incoming arrow. Luckily, it bounced off my plating.

…Why the hell did I do that? I don't know what overtook me. My animalistic instincts just yelled at me to move towards the white distant gleam.

And then it hits me.

My original goal to hunt down Violet.

Summer distracted me!

"M-Mordred? What's wrong? Y-You know you're drooling, right? Eww. Hey, you're making a really gross face right now. Please stop, it doesn't suit you."

I spun around ready to sprint at her. But Violet was gone. Her scent had vanished. She popped out of existence again! How on earth is she doing that?

I was growling from frustration. This was all _her_ fault. Because of her, I can't settle things with Violet anymore. And what if this was my only chance? It left a hollow emptiness inside my chest.

"Mordred?"

I crushed the arrow beneath my foot and cursed into the sky.

 **DAMN IT ALL!**

"…Hey, could you not? I'm standing right here you know!" The brat complained about my volume. My temper flared to new heights. Do you have any idea what you've done? Now I-

"If that's your villainous introduction then I think it could use a little more work. For starters, your pose is so boring." She chimed. Can you even read the mood? This stupid girl! Are you the dead-last of your class? You must be!

I could feel an artery exploding in my brain. I don't think I could clench my fangs any further. I turned to face Summer ready to unleash my wrath on her. Those silver eyes are really starting to-

"…"

"What? Is there something on my face?" Summer asked.

 _You have…silver eyes._

Looking back…didn't Violet have silver eyes?

And…that old man with the greatsword and the red-headed woman too?

And that poor guy I crushed also had...

O-Oh.

Oh my god.

I fell on my back with wide eyes and a slack jaw at the realization.

Summer loomed over my face along with an accompanying shade from the sun. She shook her head in disapproval. "You call that an introduction? Mordred, you're not even trying at this point!"

…I'm so screwed.

"Get up!" She started hitting the side of my arm with her boot. "If we're going to do this, we're going to do this right and with style! Mordred? Hey, Mordred! Are you even listening? I said get up!"

* * *

 **(July POV)**

Light from the afternoon sun poured into the militia hall through the large windows.

When July heard that her Vice-Captain's party had returned early, she had assumed the awkward girl had given up halfway. July had prepared a whole motivational speech and everything to reencourage Camilla. Of course, said encouragement also involved some static shock should her speech fail.

The truth was much harder to swallow.

Only three managed to return. One of them had been disarmed and the other was a half-conscious mess.

That was over an hour ago. This would mean that Vice-Captain Invictus would have been missing-in-action for three hours now.

The air in the first floor of the militia hall was heavy and tense. Captain Rose with her donned helmet and Gungnir stood in front of fifty warriors all geared and ready. Not a sound could be made throughout the room. The warriors who weren't chosen all gathered at the tables with stern looks and silent prayers of support.

The sheer amount of people who volunteered to be part of the operation would have made her feel proud given the right circumstances. She worked as fast as she could. Found the most suitable men and women for the search party.

She slammed the flat of her spear on the wood. "You've all been assigned your roles and search perimeters. Stick close to your team and make sure to check every nook and cranny. If you encounter the alpha beowolf with Thrum's sword then engage with caution. Light the flare crystal and signal reinforcements."

"Yes, Captain Rose!" The hall echoed.

"Good. Then m-"

"Captain Rose, please wait a moment!" The voice of a young man cried out. There was a shifting treble of moving armour and weapons. A young man wrapped in bandages and poorly adorned armour had torn through the organized ranks and stood before her. "Please let me join! This is all my fault the Vice-Captain is in this position. Let me take responsibility!"

It was Poppy, the woman who was part of Camilla's team as well as one of the vanguards for the search party, who spoke. "Gale, what the hell do you think you're doing? You can't just-"

"Now hold on a second! If he's coming along, then I'm going too!" Someone at the tables declared.

"Me too!" Another joined in.

"I'm going too!"

Soon the entire hall was filled with chatter and nonsense. The Captain was having none of it. She slammed her spear with more force, releasing a thundering roar to silence everyone.

Every second here was a second wasted looking for Camilla.

July stepped towards the young man with a towering air around her. "You are in no position to fight, let alone move freely." She eyed the way his legs were trembling for support. How much longer until his body finally shut down from the stress? "Get back to the infirmary and rest."

The injured young man gazed right back at her with no sign of backing down. Gale was ambitious, she'll admit it. "With all due respect Captain Rose, you don't understand what that beowolf is capable of. It broke through my aura with a single claw. I graduated with the highest aura reserves in my class. I have three times the amount compared to Camil – _Vice-Captain_ _Invictus_. Please! I'm telling you I can still fight!"

"And I'm _ordering_ you to rest in the infirmary. What could you accomplish in your state? I need strong dependable warriors. What I don't need are ambitious fools who would carelessly throw their lives away after a comrade risked theirs to save it."

"But…!"

"Boy!" Thrum picked up the young man over his shoulder.

"Stop, put me down!" He protested.

"You're embarrassing yourself in front of everyone." He grunted. "I apologize for his interruption. He's still young. Gale isn't in the right state of mind right now. Please forgive him for his rudeness, Captain Rose. I will bring him back downstairs and make sure he gets his rest."

She nodded to the elder as thanks.

One quick scan of the hall was enough to read the mood. It seems morale could use a little boost.

She leapt onto a nearby table with her spear over her shoulder. All eyes were on her. "I am not mad nor upset at any of you for wanting to help. Raise your head with pride today for showing the utmost concern for one of your own. But who will protect Argentum if everyone left? I understand your worries – I understand that more than anyone here! But Vice-Captain Invictus is one the best that Argentum has raised. One beowolf won't be enough against her. I want you all to remember that she – _huh_?"

Her arm became limp and her spear dropped to her side.

The crowd broke into hushed murmurs. They all wondered what could have made their Captain lose her train of thought.

"She is…well…she's…"

"Captain Rose? What's wrong?" Poppy spoke up.

July pointed straight at the entrance to the hall, right at the slightly open doors. "She's right there."

Everyone whirled their heads around. People gasped.

There was a scarfed girl with wide teary eyes and a flushed face standing frozen by the doors left ajar.

Did she just try to sneak her way in?

"Um…hi?" She squeaked.

The floodgates opened.

"The Vice-Captain!" Poppy grinned.

"She's alive!" Someone screamed.

The entire militia hall broke into cheers and celebration. Everyone swarmed the poor girl who looked ready to vomit at any given moment. July relaxed her shoulders; a weight had vanished. Despite being surrounded by the warmth of the crowd, Camilla looked awful. From the way her body quivered with those puffy eyes, one would assume that she was overjoyed to have returned to such a welcoming party.

Camilla was staring straight into July's helmet slit across the hall. _"Help me!"_ She mouthed among the ongoing cheers. She made no move to respond to her plea. July was trying her hardest to keep the stifles of laughter to a minimum in her helmet. Good grief, this girl was a handful.

If only the militia knew the truth of how twisted the Vice-Captain's perception was.

 _'_ _Aw well, I might as well treat everyone for the occasion.'_

"Hey bartender, what are you doing? Hurry up and whip out the ale. It's time to celebrate the Vice-Captain's return!"

"Hurrah!" Everyone chanted.

* * *

 **Kinds of reviewers I'm expecting:**

 **1) The people who enjoyed the read.**

 **2) The ones who question Mordred's sanity even though the reliable narrator has stated the beowolf MC is sane.**

 **3) That one guy who keeps PMing me for Peter Port X Mordred (NO. You hear me?! Never. It was just a joke damn it, stop!)**

 **4) "Camilla's semblance is clearly...X" You're open to guess, but there's no way you'll get it. (*DING* Did I just raise a flag?)**

 **Speaking of Camilla, ch13 will be the conclusion of her little arc along with a small intro for the incoming arc. Be careful what you wish for; the domino effect is terrifying. Holy shit, I'm about to finish a character arc, this is weird. Also, what the heck. Didn't I say that I would keep a word limit to 3500? Why am I so close to 6000? See you...Sunday? Next week-ish?**


	13. Her Promise to Ashes and Dust

**Hey, remember when I said that I was going to keep a 3500 word limit? How did I end up with double the amount? Yeah, turns out I suck at keeping promises.**

* * *

 _"_ _Alright class, today we'll be talking what you want to do once you grow up." The teacher addressed the class._

 _Little Camilla, no older than nine years old, squirmed in her desk in the farthest back corner. The other kids stood and spoke aloud of their future goals and how they would contribute to Argentum. The class clapped and cheered for each performance. It made the little girl sick to her tummy._

 _One by one, her classmates stood, spoke, and sat back down. Until…_

 _"_ _Camilla, it's your turn!"_

 _"_ _I…I…" she was quaking in her seat._

 _"_ _Stop holding up the class and stand up already."_

 _"_ _Y-Yes!" She shot up from her seat. The class snickered and sneered. She wanted to throw up so badly. "I-I…when I grow up…I…I want to…"_

 _"_ _Camilla, I can't hear you. Please speak louder."_

 _There was more snickering. Her legs grew weak and started to shake._

 _Her head was held low and her gaze was stuck on her desk. Without even realizing it, her fingers had wrapped around the back of her neck. "I-I want to become Captain of the militia..."_

 _The entire class erupted with laughter._

 _"_ _You want to be Captain? Camilla, you dummy! You need to graduate from combat school first before you can join the militia! You're too weak and shy to be Captain!"_

 _The boys all laughed and joked at her expense._

 _"_ _Yeah! Who'd listen to her?"_

 _The girls all giggled and pointed at the weird violet-haired girl._

 _The classroom devolved into an echoing mess of headache-inducing sounds that banged against her skull. She sat down and shrunk as small as possible at her desk._

 _"_ _Camilla, don't joke around like that. Your future is a very serious matter." The teacher scolded her for her foolishness. Pain welled up._

 _Not even the teacher believed in her._

 _The back of her neck was burning; a burning itch out of nowhere. She scratched, and scratched, and scratched. But the itch wouldn't go away. She scratched until her skin had turned red and her nails dug deep. Somebody please, make it stop. Make it stop-_

 _"_ _What a coincidence! I want to be Captain of the militia when I grow up too!" A strong voice pierced through the waves of ridicule._

 _Camilla's trance broke and she looked up. The boy who sat beside her had stood up and declared it loudly with booming confidence. The laughter had died instantly. Now the room was full of whispers._

 _"_ _Well…if it's him then surely…"_

 _The boy stared at her with bright silver eyes and a goofy grin. "Hey, hey, let's do our best, okay? Let's become the best Captains our village has ever seen!"_

 _"_ _O-Okay…"_

 _And from that day onward, whether she liked it or not, the two would become stuck together._

 _Like a pair of wings made of wax and feathers._

* * *

Even on the third floor the two leaders could _feel_ the atmosphere of celebration from below. To be honest, Camilla was relieved from having escaped the crowd. After getting treatment at the infirmary, Captain Rose wanted to have a word with her in her office. She took a seat behind her desk while Camilla stood across from her.

"You had me worried."

"I'm so sorry, Captain! I'll be sure to formally apologize to everyone for wasting their time!"

Captain Rose raised a brow. "Why would you apologize to anyone? You did nothing wrong."

"B-But I abandoned the mission and disappeared!"

"Because you realized the unexpected danger and ordered a retreat? I would have done the same. I heard how you chose to use yourself as a distraction to allow your team to retreat. Congrats, you saved Gale's life."

"Shield? He's alive? Thank the gods…." She released a heavy sigh of relief.

"Shield?"

She coughed.

"Okay? Anyways, what happened to your arm? The nurse said there was bruising all over and your hand was covered in blisters." Of course the Captain would raise the subject. This was going to be a struggle to explain.

The entire right sleeve of her leather armor had been ripped to shreds from the reaction force of the charged wind arrow. Any remaining tatters had been cut away and thoroughly bandaged. She felt uncomfortable when the nurse was scolding her for her recklessness. She was practically squirming in the bed!

"O-Oh t-this? I had to face an alpha beowolf and I…" She broke eye contact. Really? Such a weak answer.

"I'm aware of that. The entire militia is aware of that. What I want to know is how you got that injury." She said. Oh no she's getting annoyed with her!

"Well…y-you see…" She was starting to bury her face in her scarf. July leaned forward and pulled the cloth down. "Epp!"

Her eyes narrowed. "You have some dry blood on your chin."

There was? But she was so sure that she wiped it clean! That look of mild disappointment in the Captain's eyes, ahh~ how humiliating. It made her shoulders quiver.

"I'm going to be straight with you Camilla. Answer me honestly. Did you use your semblance?"

Yup, she saw that coming. And that didn't make it any less good having to answer.

"Y-Yes?" She meekly replied.

The Captain's nostrils flared. Camilla knew that expression all too well. It was what Summer had labelled _"big sis'"_ mode. "Are you crazy? You know how dangerous the aftershock is to your body! What would have happened if you lost consciousness?"

 _'_ _Ahhh! Please stop yelling at me. I'm sorry!'_

"I didn't have a choice! I ran out of options. C-Captain Rose, you don't need to remind me of the consequences of using my semblance. I know what I did was stupid, but that was the best thing I could come up with on the spot. I'm fine, really! The nurse said I just need to rest." Her stomach was twisting into knots. She was freaking out right now.

The Captain exhaled into her cupped palms. "I can only imagine the circumstances you've had to be put in against that grimm. Camilla, I want to be clear that I'm not mad at you nor am I ridiculing you as much as your anxieties are telling you. I'm only speaking out of concern for a comrade."

She could feel her entire body tensing up. "A-Ah – o-of course I knew that! Thank y-you very much Captain."

 _'_ _Idiot! Look at the Captain's eyes and not her coffee mug!'_

"Moving on." She pulled out a blank document and pen from out from her desk. "That beowolf you encountered, I'd like more details on it."

Camilla stared into her bandaged hand. Just thinking about the events made her arm shudder. Those heated crimson eyes full of hate had burrowed its ways into her mind. "That beowolf was different from the rest. It pushed me to the brink of death's door."

Rough scribbling and scratching could be heard.

There was a haunting echo of the creature's roars. It was only her imagination playing tricks on her. But it was enough to make her bandaged arm shiver. Camilla closed her eyes for a moment and forced herself to listen to her slow breathing. Her mind became centred around the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

She opened her mouth to answer but hesitated for a moment. "It was…It was intelligent. Much smarter than any grimm I encountered. I don't know how it was possible but it knew how to cauterize its wounds with my arrow. Its ability to adapt so quickly to my tactics was terrifying. As the fight progressed, the beowolf became wilder, growing more feral by the second. And yet it created strategies to limit my movement and even trapping me under its sword. Its physical capabilities were something that came out of a nightmare. E-Even with a missing arm and disabled leg, the beowolf was able to match my agility."

"And what of Thrum's greatsword?"

"I-I don't know. I must have blown it away from my wind arrow."

The scribbling stopped.

"I see." Captain Rose said. "But the fact that you're alive and somewhat healthy means that you must have dealt with it? It was your semblance that aided you in landing the killing blow, correct?"

Camilla winced, her face twisting into a pained expression.

"Camilla? Is something the matter?"

"Captain Rose, please forgive me. I couldn't kill it. It…it…"

The blonde's expression softened. "Hey, look at me. It's fine. We'll just plan accordingly and- "

Something tightly grasped her heart. Fear filled the Vice-Captain's eyes. "No, you don't get it! If it was any other beowolf then it would have died from that attack. This one was different. Captain, it…it…it had it had the ability to regenerate its wounds!"

A cloud cast over Argentum. Its shadow blocked out the sun, darkening the office.

The Captain's expression became unreadable. Her eyes grew distant and her mouth remained flat. "Regenerate?"

"I-I mean I didn't exactly see it regrow its left arm. I don't think I could forget its face." Camilla made circular gestures around her head. "Its entire head was protected in bone plating – like a…like a helmet! And it was covered in these weird crescent designs. And believe me, I thought it was just a coincidence when I stumbled on the beowolf again. But then I remembered your story about a similar abnormal beowolf. So I thought it must have been the case for this one too!"

"Camilla, I…" She closed her eyes and the two remained silent for ten seconds. "What did you do next?"

"There's something you need to know, Captain. There was something else that I saw in the forest."

"What is it? What did you see?" She leaned forward, practically on the edge of her seat.

She had to choose her next words carefully. "There…there was another person. Someone else besides me and my team that made contact with the abnormal beowolf."

The Captain gasped. "Someone else? Were they from our village? A traveller? Did they manage to escape or…" She left the alternative outcome in the air.

"Captain, this is where it gets strange." She answered. "The beowolf didn't attack them at all. In fact, when I discovered the regenerated beowolf again it…it…" Something was strangling her, choking the words from escaping her mouth.

What she was about to say could possibly label her as Argentum's lunatic. She revisited her memories and replayed the images. She hoped for an inconsistency, something to prove that her logic was wrong, but it all ended up to the same conclusions.

"Camilla, what did you see?"

"It didn't attack the person at all. It was bowing to the person. I saw the beowolf on all fours lowering its head to that person!"

The pen had fallen out of the Captain's still fingers and rolled off the desk.

"I know it sounds crazy. But please believe me, that's what I saw!" She said. "I-I couldn't see their face from my position. They were wearing a white robe with a hood. B-But if I had to guess, I think they were female."

Captain Rose raised an eyebrow. "You think?"

"Their voice was high-pitch... I think. My hearing was muffled from my semblance. I'm sorry!" Camilla bowed an apology.

She waved it aside. "It's fine. But a creature of grimm bowing to a human? This is the first I've ever heard of it." Captain Rose said. "Camilla, I need you to concentrate on this. Did this female figure say anything?"

Camilla racked her brain with squinted eyes. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, it's all blurry. The parts I could make out were: _'holy sword…end has come…darkest days…Sword-Saint…_ '

"…D-Did you just say Sword-Saint?"

H-Huh, did the Captain's voice just quiver? No, it must have been the physical stress from her body. "Er…yes? Do you know what it means, Captain?"

"It's nothing." Captain Rose dismissed it immediately. She pulled out another pen out and scribbled on the paper. "What happened next?"

Waves of guilt drowned her thoughts. "I had an opportunity to kill the beowolf. I had a clean shot to penetrate the eyes and destroy the brain." She clenched her injured hand into a fist. "But I couldn't endure the pain in my right arm. I couldn't hold a steady aim. Instead of the beowolf, my arrow went straight for the female. The beowolf…it intercepted the shot. _A creature of grimm protected a human._ "

It sounded as if it came right out of a fairy-tale. Such an event was impossible. The nature of grimm hunting humanity was practically common sense.

Her body trembled. "…I was so shocked. I didn't think it was possible to fight that monster again in close-quarters. I used my semblance to escape and prayed it wouldn't be able to track me down afterwards." Camilla bowed once more. "Captain Rose, forgive me for being such a coward!"

She didn't dare meet her superior's eyes. She was ready to meet any punishment for her weakness.

"Raise your head, Vice-Captain."

Huh?

There was a warm smile on the Captain's face. "You did nothing wrong. It's thanks to you that the militia was able to obtain valuable information. Thank you for your efforts. And thank you for coming back to us."

"C-Captain…" This woman was too kind. "B-But what about the female and the beowolf?'

"Don't worry about it. I will plan accordingly to the situation. Just have faith in me like I have faith in all of you." The Captain said. "Is that all?"

Camilla nodded.

She clapped her hands, a metallic echo reverberated throughout the room. "Great! Then you're free to go, Camilla. Take the rest of the day off. Tomorrow too."

"T-Thank you, Captain." She was burying her face in her scarf again. No doubt her cheeks had become cherry from the Captain's praise.

The cloud overhanging Argentum drifted away. Light poured into the room. And just as she was about to reach the door handle:

"Oh, and Vice-Captain Invictus?" The Captain called out from behind.

"Y-Yes?" She turned to face her.

And instantly regretted her decision.

Captain Rose still had the same smile plastered on her face with her chin resting on her hands. Her eyes were relaxed and tender. And yet, Camilla could see the raging storm in the silver horizons. Dear heavens, there were golden sparks crackling around the Captain!

"Remember that your semblance should only be used in emergencies."

"Y-Yes!" She escaped the room and slammed the door behind her.

* * *

 _"_ _Hey Camilla?" Her friend spoke while staring at the roof of their…" hideout." It was rather embarrassing to call it so. It was just the small hill of dirt under the bridge. But he insisted, and she gave in and accepted._

 _"_ _Yes?" She replied, her eyes too mesmerized on the roof. They had nothing better to do. The summer heat was too strong to actively run around and play. So, they just lied down on their backs and waited until sunset._

 _"_ _We've been friends for like what – 3 years now?"_

 _That made something warm tingle in her chest. She never realized how wonderful it was to have someone to call her that. "Y-Yeah?"_

 _"_ _I never got to ask. Why do you want to become Captain?"_

 _"…_ _I don't really know." The shy and awkward girl admitted. She wanted to become a militia Captain. She had a reason to or at least a very broad concept anyways. She just couldn't find the words. There was just something about it that pulled her in that direction._

 _"_ _Huh. Well, that's okay, I guess." He said without a hint of judgement. "Hey, do you want to know my reason?"_

 _Camilla already knew his reason. The entire class had laughed at him when he announced so boldly. "To become a…hero?"_

 _"_ _Exactly! But there's so much more to that! Let me tell you about…"_

* * *

 **(Mordred POV)**

"Your reign of terror ends here!"

I'm so screwed.

"Hmm, was my arm too high? What if I go lower?"

I've been living close to a nuclear landmine this whole time. Am I an idiot? How have I missed this? No wonder why I've been getting my ass handed to me – all my opponents have dues-ex-machina in their blood! And there's a village full of them? Dear lord, you mean to tell me there are others like Summer? Please don't joke around like that, I'll start to feel insignificant…

"Your reign of terror ends here! No, it still doesn't feel right…"

I wouldn't be surprised if that damn knight was also some handsome silver-eyed chad that had a harem flock around him.

"Hey, Mordred, which one looks cooler to you?"

Huh? Oh, right. Summer. She eventually got tired of trying to get me up and pose with her. She's been using me as a chair while practising new cringe introductions from her notebook. Wait, are you dabbing? Is that even a thing in Remnant? Please stop, you look like an idiot.

"Hmm, yeah you're right, I do look kind of silly." Summer interpreted my glare. She started to scribble something down on her notes. You know, when you're not spewing all that delusional stuff you actually look like a hard-working girl.

It makes me wonder how you ended up becoming the leader of STRQ.

I blinked at the realization.

She's going to attend Beacon Academy in a couple years.

Which means I'll finally be free from her!

...Odd.

For some reason I don't feel any joy from the thought of Summer leaving. I should be ecstatic of finally having peace with myself. In fact, there was a rather rotten taste in my mouth.

Hmm, well I guess I haven't drunk any water recently. And I did burn a lot of energy fighting Violet. I must be tired.

Yes, that's probably why.

Since Violet and the others escaped, I can only guess that I'm going to be seeing more silver-eyed hunters roaming around for me in the future. To be honest, the spotlight on me feels weird. Realistically, it would be in my best interest to leave and expand my horizons somewhere else. However, if I did that then I would inadvertently be saying "I give up! You guys are too strong for me!"

I'm supposed to be an _alpha_ beowolf, not a _beta._

Haaah, why did things have to be so complicated?

"Mordred, can I ask you something?"

What is it now?

"I've been meaning to ask." She put down the notebook and stared at me. "Your transformation power, it's activated by your voice, right? You tell yourself – 'Transform!' – or something along those lines?"

I blinked at her comment. Hold up. Just a second! Who is this observant girl sitting on my chest? What happened to the delusional Summer who enjoys annoying me to no end? Where have you taken her?

She must have caught my expression since she replied in a deadpan manner. "Hey, you're making fun of me, aren't you? I can tell. You really are worst you know that? Please don't look at me as if I'm some kind of idiot. I may have to stab you in the heart with my special move if you continue to do so."

O-Okay? I nodded at her question.

Summer got off me and dusted herself off. "I figured as much. That got me thinking – can you transform into something other than a beowolf?"

Eh?

A bird flew over us.

My still body shot up unto its feet in a heartbeat.

 _~Ehhhhhhhh?!_

Have I underestimated this girl? Was she always this clever? Did I somehow end up in some alternate dimension? No, no, it's clearly my fault for thinking too narrow about my Authority.

"Hey…" She placed a hand over her sword. "You're giving me that look again. I'm serious about before – I'll show you the hero's wrath of _Heaven-Moon-Slicer-Slicing-Slashy-Slash."_

I stare at my shaking claws. She has a point. If I could order my body to transform, then surely…?

I had to make sure!

"Mordred?"

 **I command this body of mine: transform into a nevermore!**

Hey, I think it's working – _ERK?!_

My entire being was set ablaze in black flames. I-It burns! T-This isn't right! Oh my god, it burns like hell! Make it stop, make it stop! My flash was melting, my bones were being warped and mangled. Black mist poured out of my twisted jaw. My vision was sizzling as my eyes continued to boil into ash.

This pain was unbearable!

 _"_ _Mordred! Mordred!"_

I could hear someone screaming. Who was yelling out my name? I-I can't think properly. My mind is being scattered into oblivion…

 _Who's Mordred…?_

 **Abandon the order! Undo! Undo! CTRL-Z! Go back to the last checkpoint!**

I'm no longer burning to death. The flames fade and clean air enters into my panting mouth. My body suddenly felt weak. Everything looks bigger?

Oh, I've reverted back into a pup.

My muscles felt dull. My breathing was heavy. My stomach churned and twisted. I felt as if my entire body was soaked in cold sweat. I swear my mind was going to shatter into pieces if I was in that agonizing state for another second.

"Mordred!" Hm? I gazed up. I was wondering whose shadow was over me. Summer knelt in front of me with outstretched trembling hands wondering if it was safe to touch me. The blood had drained from her face. Her brows were pulled back with a gaping mouth. I didn't have to rely on my grimm instincts to know Summer was panicking.

Did I really turn into some nightmare taco-Tuesday abomination or were you actually worried about me?

We stared at each other for a moment. Summer blinked a few times, finally understanding the situation she was in. She shot back up with hands over her hips. "J-Just to be clear I wasn't freaking out for your well-being, okay? I was just bothered with how much work it would be to find a replacement villain if you kicked the bucket!"

I snarled and stuck my tongue out at her.

I never asked for your pity either!

I forced my body up and transformed back into my alpha form. This was how the transformation should have felt; quick and painless. I haven't given up yet. The nevermore transformation didn't work out as intended. The only reason I could think of as to why it ended up in failure was that I had never absorbed a nevermore's Essence yet. I could test my hypothesis by ordering myself to transform into an ursa or anything I've already killed.

But I'm not going to. At least not right now. First, I need time to mentally prepare myself for that blazing hell. Second, I really can't think of a situation where I would need to turn into those forms. Their movements and agility were pale in comparison to a beowolf's. That's right, there's no reason to nerf myself!

But still, isn't there something else I can do with my Authority?

"Wait, you're going to try again?" The girl struck another unnecessary pose. "How about we start smaller?" Summer flexed her arm. "I don't know, how about you cover your entire arm in armor?"

Something snapped in me. What the heck? How have I not realized something as simple as that? Even if it does fail, I'm sure I would be able to tolerate the pain. I mean, I've had my arm removed twice already.

 **I command this body of mine: plate my entire arm in bone!**

My arm ignites in familiar black flames. There was no pain. Instead, my arm felt strained and weightless at the same time. The flames disperse. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of the product.

"W-Woah…"

A surge of euphoria ran through my body. I raised my fully armored arm and fist bumped the sky. I howled at my small victory.

Great success!

"S-So cool…it's just so… _AHHH~!"_ Summer squealed in delight as she twirled her cape around. "It worked, it worked! I'm a genius! A heroic genius!" She stopped and gave me two thumbs up. "One-hundred points for the pose, Mordred!"

My arm shot down in an instant; just like my euphoric rush. Why did you have to say that? Now I feel embarrassed. Don't lump me in with your delusional behaviour!

While Summer was dancing around in self-praise I focused on my enhanced arm. The spikes had vanished, leaving behind thick plating. Really, it looked as if I propped my arm into a suit of armor or something. Would I have won against Violet or that knight if I had this enhancement?

My arm felt heavier, tense, much more strained. I don't think I can maintain it for long. Was it because I still needed time to adapt to the change? What would happen if it got cut off again? I could only imagine the heaps of Essence I would lose. It would be a while before I can modify my entire body. Well, at least there's something else I can do besides napping and hunting.

Another thought came to me.

I'm not sure if I'm being realistic or pessimistic but I don't think this will really make a difference. Would extra platting really be enough to stop a lightning bolt? Isn't there something else I could do? I see myself as a creative person but for some reason I can't seem to come up with any ground-breaking ideas.

"Hmm…maybe you could add this over there…and here too…Oh! And wings! Got to add wings too…" Summer muttered while cross-legged on the floor. She seemed to be writing up a storm in that notebook. There was a gleam of excitement in her eyes, much like a child wondering what was in a present box. She looked at me. "Hmm…no that wouldn't work. Too uncool."

Was she…? No way, it couldn't be. Why would you do that for me?

I tilted my head.

Summer seemed to understand my confusion.

"Don't misunderstand, Mordred. You're not just some random villain fated to be written off in some children's fairy-tale. You're the villain against the soon-to-be-greatest hero in Remnant!"

I'm not sure if that was an insult or a compliment.

She points her pen at me. "Do you know what that means? It means that you're _my_ villain! In _my_ story! I won't accept my victory over you unless you're defeated in your final coolest form. You better learn how to keep up with me!"

This brat declared her superiority over me with such vigor and confidence that I had to turn away with claws over my face to hide my embarrassment for her. Keep up? Keep up with you of all people? Since when?! This delusional girl will be the death of me!

Final form? It took me this long to find out I can modify my body parts and you want me to have a final form? _Last time I checked I was in RWBY, not Dragon Ball._ What do you take me for? I can't think of –

 _Wait…!_

My eyes widened from my revelation.

 **"** **Hah…hah…hah…"**

I looked back at Summer, still scribbling a storm into her notebook.

How have I not realized it sooner?

That's right.

Up until now, I've been relying solely on myself. I didn't have a choice in the manner. I thought that with my circumstances, I would be forced to stand against the world alone.

I was wrong. I was blind with arrogance.

You were by my side all this time and I took it for granted.

I understand now.

I know what I've been missing.

My fangs were bared and oozed ambition. My eyes were open; I could see the endless potential.

Your unlimited imagination will be the key to my supremacy.

* * *

 _"_ _I don't think a hero has to be strong. I don't think they have to be good at speeches either. To me, a hero is someone who can protect the people with a smile."_

 _"…_ _You can't protect everyone."_

 _"_ _Maybe. But that's why I'll smile even if it looks like I'm going to lose. Because I want to show them I haven't lost hope. The people I protect, I want them to hold on to it. That's the kind of Captain I want to be."_

 _"_ _And you'd be fine with me… as the other Captain?"_

 _"_ _Of course! I wouldn't want anyone else."_

 _"_ _Then…I'll hold you on to that promise."_

* * *

Camilla opened her eyes.

She sat with knees up to her chest in the hideout. The gentle burbling of the river wound its way through Argentum. The sounds were soothing and made her feel at ease. Ribbons of white light danced on the underside of the bridge, glistening with golden sparkles from the setting sun. A small breeze made the grass around her whisper a soft whistle. She let out a breath. This was a peaceful solitude that she embraced.

She shouldn't be reminiscing at a time like this. Not when the threat still lingered in the forest. But those happy memories flowed back, breaking past the emotional dam she set up. It warmed her heart and yet it made her feel a pang of sorrow.

"I haven't visited you in a while. I'm sorry about that." She spoke aloud in a solemn voice while burying her face in her scarf. "I've just been busy with work lately. If being a Vice-Captain was this much work then I could only imagine the nightmare of being Captain. Heh…"

…

No response. Of course he wouldn't respond. He wasn't here, after all.

"I went on a mission today, except it was me leading a team all by myself." She shivered. "I-It was really bad. You probably would have laughed if you saw me. I know she's trying to help but sometimes Captain Rose can be downright cruel. You'd have to be there to understand- "

"I had a feeling you'd be here." A voice spoke from above. Camilla turned to see a raven-haired girl poking her face from under the bridge. She stumbled a bit when she got down. Her blue shirt was drenched and wrinkled in sweat with messy hair resting by her shoulders.

"You look horrible Abelle." Camilla blurted out as the younger girl sat beside her.

"I could imagine. Professor Peejun made me run twice as many laps after school. And then he made me spar with some upper years. It was brutal to say the least. My arms feel like falling apart." Abelle took deep breaths in between her words. "I guess this is what I deserve for being too harsh with the Captain's little sister. But never mind me. You look just as bad Camilla. No, I take it back – you definitely look worse than me."

She eyed her arm. "Yes…well you see on the mission I –"

"You met a beowolf that could wield a sword."

"How did you…?

She shrugged. "Word travels fast here, remember? You're practically the talk of the village right now. ' _Vice-Captain Invictus, the brave woman who risked her life to protect her comrade and fended off a powerful grimm'."_

Gah! Something cold shot up from her spine. The entire village knew? _Well that's just great…_

Abelle giggled at her reaction. "I figured you'd react like that. But you should have seen the Professor's face. The old man kept ranting on about how he'd have to teach the class with garbage equipment. I think he said something about a field trip?"

Oh right the equipment! She bit into her cheek. The first mission she leads and it ends up in official failure! Camilla should be a panicking mess right now but she was too tired for something as natural as that.

"How are you feeling right now?"

"The Captain gave me the rest of the day off to recover. I have tomorrow off too." She said.

"That's good." Abelle let out a sigh of relief.

She smirked under her scarf. "Were you worried about me?"

"Why would I be worried about one of the best warriors in Argentum?" Camilla was going to correct her but the message in her eyes was clear, _'Try it and I'll give you a speech to prove that you're the coolest ever...again.'_

"…Thank you." She gave in.

Abelle got up and stretched. "I'm going to head home first. I can't wait to use the shower. Anyways, you better tell me about your fight with that beowolf down to the bloodiest detail at the dinner table tonight."

"S-Sure." Her mind was already coming up with a simplified less violent version. "What would you like to eat?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"I mean there's literally nothing in the kitchen. We ran out as usual." She pointed out. "Could you go and buy some groceries after? I'd go but I'm pretty sure they'd overcharge me like last time. Plus, their dirty glares really piss me off."

Camilla's shoulders shrunk and she brought her knees as close as possible to her face. Grocery shopping? Her? It was one of the things she dreaded. It was probably why they usually ran out of food.

Abelle scoffed at her gesture. "Oh for crying out loud. Nobody hates you Camilla. I know what it's like to be despised. Believe me, you'll get nothing but praise over there."

Camilla was silent for a moment. She wasn't an idiot; all those negative thoughts were all in her dysfunctional mind. Deep down she knew everyone was showering her with kindness. But she couldn't accept it. She felt that she didn't deserve it. Turning that kindness into self-imagined hate was a bad habit she just couldn't get rid of.

But that didn't mean she shouldn't try.

"…O-Okay, I'll go to the market later."

"Great. I'll leave you two lovebirds be then."

Huh?!

"We're not…!" She turned to protest but Abelle was already gone. Her cheeks were blazing with embarrassment. Camilla groaned into her scarf. Honestly, when did this girl get so cheeky?

She decided to stay here for a few more minutes just to bask in the still moment of loneliness.

A gentle wind blew by. It reminded her of the tingling warmth. She still remembered that day. She could almost feel the humid summer heat against her skin along with the sound of splashing fish…

 _"_ _I have a gift for you. It's to celebrate our first day at the combat school!" He presented a lengthy rectangle of red cheap yarn with that same grin over his face._

 _"_ _A scarf? But why? It's a bit too long don't you think?"_

 _"_ _It's to keep your neck warm."_

 _He was talking about her bad habit._

 _"_ _O-Oh…I see." She looked away ashamed._

 _"_ _Hey don't feel bad! You've gotten really better over the years. I don't like seeing you worried. You're really cute when you're relaxed Camilla."_

 _"_ _W-What? D-Don't say things like that!" Colour overflowed her face._

 _He laughed. "I'm serious! You're my best friend Camilla, I want to help you be the best person you can be!"_

 _"_ _I-I can't." Thoughts of faceless figures with wicked laughter overwhelmed her. Her fidgeting hands made its way to her neck. "I'm too weak. You're asking too much."_

 _But then something warm wrapped around her collar. She was so stunned by the act that she just stood there while he continued to wrap it around. It was so long that one arm was on the ground._

 _He smiled warmly. "It doesn't have to be now. Take as much time as you need. If you start feeling like the entire world is strangling you, just remember this warmth. Do you feel it? This is what it means to be brave. In this world, the brave can achieve anything!"_

 _Her mind was caught in a haze. She couldn't tell what was truth and doubt. "But…but what if I'm not brave enough?"_

 _He picked up the dangling end and wrapped it around his neck. "We're stuck together, right? Remember our promise? If you don't feel brave enough then you can borrow my bravery." He pulled her into his embrace. A heavy lump was stuck in her throat. "And then maybe one day, I'll borrow some of yours."_

She clutched the fabric unknowingly while the memory played out. Yes, she treasured this gift. She wouldn't trade this precious memento for the world.

She got up and made her way to the market.

Camilla was so close to her dream and yet so far away. She still had so much to learn, both in the militia and in herself. All she knew was that she couldn't stop. There was a promise to be kept. A promise to be fulfilled. After all, his courage coursed through _her_. So that's why she'll keep pushing forward to that distant reality.

She glanced over to the river of empty ashes and gave a silent prayer.

' _Thank you for helping me, Kain.'_

* * *

 **(July POV)**

Moonlight shone into the Captain's office. The flames from the illuminating dust lamps flickered and swirled. Sparks of electricity crackled in the room. Stray sheets of paper were scattered everywhere. Some were crumpled while others were singed by the corners.

"Should I double the scouting party? Triple it? Quadruple it?" July frowned while biting at the back of her pen. She scanned through the endless stacks of personnel documents, looking for the right combination of warriors for potential parties. There were plenty of important factors that had to be taken into consideration. Combat capability and synergy. Independent thinking and teamwork. One wrong decision and more lives would be at risk.

Her stomach rumbled, begging the Captain for rest. But that only ignited her semblance's influence even more. Waves of guilt and frustration washed over her.

This was all her fault.

She put four lives at risk. Two of which were near death's door.

It didn't make any sense. It shouldn't be possible.

That damn alpha was still alive.

There was no doubt about it. The way Camilla described her ferocious opponent perfectly matched her past enemy. But how? How did it survive? She blew up a chunk of the forest for heaven's sake! She racked her brain for a sound explanation but it all led down to the same ugly conclusion.

 _She just wasn't strong enough._

Her pen snapped into two. The lightning around her intensified. The entire room illuminated in golden light.

The light died not a second later.

All the documents on her desk were scattered across the entire office. Trails of dense steam poured out from the corner of her eyes. The by-product of her semblance clouded her vision.

"Damn it… calm down July… calm down..." She hissed, covering her face with her gauntlets and counting to ten with deep breathes.

Now was not the time to be letting her emotions consume her. She had to focus on finding the solution to this problem.

"Not only did the creature survive, it learned from its mistakes. It adapted and evolved in such a short amount of time. That much was clear from today's mission." July thought out loud. "For a creature of grimm, especially a beowolf, to display this much intelligence…"

An ancient grimm since the time of the Divine Brothers? Then why show up now? Here of all places?

She crossed out the possibility once the next element was included in her logic.

"…And then there's that hooded girl in white robes." That wasn't much to go by. But she had no right to blame Camilla. The information she got from her report was disturbing to the point when it was venturing out to borderline insanity. "A creature of grimm showing loyalty to a human? That's impossible and yet…"

There must be a connection between this mysterious individual and the abnormal monster.

But what could it be?

Her mind was drawing a blank.

And finally, there was that cryptic message from her.

 _"…_ _Sword-Saint."_ July whispered the name. An old dusty book with a blank cover came to mind. Along with a young blonde teen reading aloud to her adorable little sister in bed.

As well as the missing pages.

"What does _Luna's Kingdom_ have to do with this? Unless...?" Something dark came to mind. The possibility made her skin crawl and her blood run frozen. She frantically shook her head. "Impossible, only the Captains should know about-"

A blazing hue of light shone through the window. She peered through the glass and her jaw dropped.

I-It couldn't be – after all this time?

 _Unbelievable._

The muscles around her face tensed up. Her jaw clenched. Her expression twisted into something unsettling. The storm within her had returned. Steam erupted from her glaring eyes.

"I thought that old man in the clock tower would have fixed that behaviour of yours. But your little adventure hasn't changed you at all. In fact, I think it got even worse!" She donned her helmet and ran for the exit. "Your introductions are still as…as… _as delusional as ever_!"

Captain Rose sprinted through Argentum towards the tower of scorching flames just at the edge of the village borders.

Villagers began to flood the streets with a mixture of celebration and awe. She could hear the bits and pieces of their chants as she bolted through them.

"Look, look over there!"

"It has to be him! Only he could do such a thing!"

"He's back! Mama, he's back!"

No! Don't cheer for him you fools! You're only going to enable him further!

 _'I swear...when I get my hands on you...'_

Tonight, the Spear of Justice was going to unleash a year's worth of punishment. It was time for their unpleasant reunion.

A meeting with her equal.

Captain August Trajan has returned to Argentum.

* * *

 **Okay so before anything else: I'm going to be taking a small break. I have exams coming up and then I have to start packing up my apartment after. I'm probably done mid-August? Then again, most of you are aware by now of my absences. In my defence, when I do return, I usually return full throttle no breaks.**

 **Next, I want to be clear that I didn't write Camilla's backstory solely for her development (still just as important). Without getting into conspiracy theories, it links to Summer and another character, both forwards and back. Oh I can't wait to show you that one misdirected line from Chapter X.**

 **Thank you for reading my story, I'll return once everything settles.**

 **Have a wonderful day.**


	14. My Childhood Friend is an Idiot

Delusional.

That was the best term used to describe August Trajan. Growing up together since early childhood, July Rose had learned to put up with his world of fantasy and grandeur. It always had to theatrical and outstanding with him. He couldn't just send a letter announcing his return or casually walk back and say "hi, sorry I've been gone for two years. I'm home!" _Oh no! That would be too difficult for someone like him!_

It was obvious, to her at least, that August suffered from some sort of mental disorder. Did she play a part in this? Had she hit him a bit too hard in the head when they were young? And that brought up another question…

"Stay back!" She yelled out an order from the increasing number of villagers, all ranging from young to elderly, running from behind.

 _Why on Remnant did the rest of Argentum encourage his behaviour?_

The gathering crowd cheered and applauded the spectacle before them. July clenched her teeth with a slight twitch in her eye. Are you people crazy? Do you want to get burned?!

Bright cinders and crisp trails of smoke danced wildly in the humid air. The scorching tower of flames shot up into the night sky, right in the middle of the cobblestone pathway on the outskirts of Argentum. Small beads of sweat poured down her brow. Her cape whipped against her back from the generated wind currents. The immense heat that the tower radiated brought up memories of their spars back at the combat school. They weren't pleasant or nostalgic at all. The idiot would always set the room on fire, and she'd always be the one stuck with him to clean up the mess!

"Captain Trajan has returned! Our captain has returned! Look how brilliant his flames of righteousness light up the night sky!" The crowd chanted. The intensity of the heat further increased – much like her anger. If you paid close attention, just beyond the roaring inferno vacuum, you could hear the faint echoes of laughter from an insane man.

If Captain Rose was respected by Argentum, then Captain Trajan was beloved by it.

"You can stop with the performance now, Captain Trajan!" She said with her arms crossed and her stance wide. She tried her best to keep her tone in check, only increasing its volume to be heard and not _felt_. Annoying friend or not, she still needed to keep things professional.

But the pillar of flames refused to die down.

 _'_ _Okay, we're done with being professional.'_

Sparks began to crackle around her. "Hey! I know you can hear me! Turn off your semblance! August! You hear me, you fool?! Turn it off or so help me I will-

The pillar immediately dispersed, shattering into thousands of glittering sparks that dimmed into wisps of nothing moments after. Cheering exploded from behind.

Standing in the center of the black ring of smoking ashes stood a knight with an idle medieval shield over his left arm and a steaming longsword pointing into the sky in his right.

He wore the same silver armour just like hers. But unlike her armour that was well maintained and polished, August's armour was battered and stained. His helmet's visor was dented with one half slightly twisted as if someone had struck the side of his face with a war hammer. How could he even see through that?

Their Captain's capes waved meekly along the sudden breeze.

July noticed how tattered his cape had become. The ends were burnt black, and in the moonlight, the once brilliant snow-white had dulled into a light-soot gray.

"Fellow villagers of Argentum, your hero has returned!" August announced with ear-splitting delight in his tone. His sword glowed once more before firing a fireball into the sky. It exploded into the stars. Orange ribbons of light scattered. The villagers screamed with applause and cheers. Not July, though. A scowl was fixed on her face throughout the entire performance underneath her helmet.

If it wasn't for her standing in their way, the crowd would have collapsed on August and showered him with hugs and kisses.

 _'_ _Doing that so close to the village… Are you trying to destroy Argentum?'_

She swallowed her anger, leaving an unpleasant weight in her gut. "Welcome back, _Captain Trajan_ ," July said. _Urgh_ , just saying that word left a sour aftertaste. She had a strong urge to strangle the man. Who wouldn't after leaving for two years without saying a word if they were still alive?

"July Rose! It's so good to see you after so long!" The sword was instantly back into its sheath and the blonde suddenly found herself in a bear hug with the other Captain. Of course, since they were both in armour, the hug was rather awkward. Complete with steel clanking and metallic echoes. She could hear the _"ooohhs"_ and _"awwwws"_ from the spectators. The tips of her ears heated up.

She coughed and spoke in a hushed whisper. " _Let go of me, August. We need to conduct ourselves as professionals._ "

"Of course! Of course! How childish of me!" He released her and backed away with a wild twirl. He finished in a pose with wide open arms and a flourishing cape. "You are absolutely correct! As you say, I must conduct myself as a professional – and conduct myself I shall! **AHA HAH HAH HAH HAH**!"

She balled her right hand into a fist.

…That's not professional at all!

"You-

"July, my adventure has taught me many things. It has given me much time to reflect. I've finally come to learn the errors of my ways." He said.

"Don't just interrupt me like tha – wait…what?" D-Did she hear that right?

Was she finally going to have a decent mature friend?

"I've mastered the sacred arts of romance!"

…Huh?

He placed a fist over his chest-plate. "I've awoken my third soul eye and have delved into the deepest realms of love. I've transcended, July! Erotic love! Affectionate love! Obsessive love! Even the mysterious _Harem love!_ I finally know what I must do to claim your heart!"

She could feel the unpleasant weight rising upward to her chest.

He got on one knee and extended his hand to her. "The stars have aligned for this very moment. Do you feel it? The _mana particles_ sparkling in the _fifty-sixth_ _Hyperion-Gama realm_ … _~ah~ how this silent calling shakes the magical circuits in my heart._ July Rose, will you take this returning hero as your husband?"

And there it was.

In that instant, chaos erupted amongst the crowd. The men all cheered and congratulated the foolish man. The women squealed and some even wailed from August's proposal. She heard someone scream, "the ship is finally sailing!" What did boats have to do with this?

"August…" She said. The cheering died instantly. All eyes were on her, anticipating her response.

She gently placed her hand over his.

It was dark, but she was certain that August's eyes lit up.

"J-July? Y-You…finally you- _ERK!"_

She forced her grip even tighter. A tidal wave of electricity coursed into him. His entire body shook and vibrated. July leaned closer until their helmets were just a hand away.

" _Don't screw with me."_

August's body was cloaked in vibrant lightning.

"AAAARRRHSDADASDSAJNXAIWUEWGSHDX" The Captain screamed while his arms and legs spasmed in every direction. She kept this up for a good minute or so. What remained after her "response" was a crispy twitching suit of armour. Smoke escaped from the silent helmet.

There was just something therapeutic about roasting your friend to a charred crisp, you know?

"…That was fast." A villager said.

"Yep. Their relationship really is something."

"To get back into their usual routines so easily…I'm kind of jealous." Spoke another.

"Such a shame. You'll win her heart eventually, Captain Trajan!"

 _'_ _I highly doubt that.'_ She thought.

She held the incapacitated Captain by the foot. "Return to your homes. I need to speak with my fellow Captain about militia matters."

July dragged August through the stirring streets of their village.

All the way to the militia hall.

Like a bag of worthless trash.

* * *

"As horrible as your performance was, I've got to hand it to you." July said, "Directly proposing to me took me by surprise. Really big jump from constantly asking me out on a date."

"Yeah, well, I figured my time away would be long enough for you to awaken your love for me. I mean, that's usually how it goes in romance novels." August said in a normal tone as if he was never electrocuted in the first place. "Guess not."

She crossed her arms. "Why would I romantically fall in love with my brother of all people?"

"Please don't say that. I'd rather be friend-zoned than _bro-zoned_." He muttered through metal.

"Pretty sure I established our relationship when we graduated." She reminded him.

No, forget it. There were more pressing matters to deal with.

"How long do you intend on staying like that?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." August answered with his body sprawled across the office carpet. His hollow helmet gazed aimlessly at the roof. "…This is an ancient heroic stance used to absorb mana particles into the vessel."

 _'_ _My entire body is paralyzed. I can't move.'_ Was what July translated.

"Love what you've done with the place by the way. The scattered papers really show off that workaholic attitude of yours. That, or you've clearly gone insane-"

She placed her foot over his chest plate. "Oi, who are you calling a workaholic? You think I enjoy managing an entire army of warriors by myself? Let's not dance around the subject on how you basically abandoned Argentum to live out your adventuring fantasies all thanks to that old man lazing around in some school with a fancy clock."

"That _wizard_ is responsible for training future heroes at the _academy he owns_." He corrected her.

Wait what?

"Did you just call that old man a _wizard_? Did I hear that right? My gods, August. Did you really speak all that magic and chivalry nonsense to him?"

"Magic is real!" He proclaimed. With sudden newfound energy, the grounded Captain shot back up. "And he proved it! July, you have to believe me – he showed me his magic! It's real!"

"I'm going to stop you right there before you start getting lost in your delusions." July placed a finger over August's ruined visor.

"But-"

"What? Next, you're going to tell me _The Four Maidens_ is actually real, and it's linked to some _mystical relics_?" The threatening sparks crackling around her hand made it clear that it was a rhetorical question.

"I…I can tell you're angry about the two-year absence." He raised his hands in defeat.

"What gave it away?"

"I understand why you'd feel that way. But I don't know why you still have a problem with this. I thought we already crossed this bridge?" August said.

"Oh really? Why don't you refresh my memory? I must have forgotten all the important details as to how this mess came to be." She said with heavy sarcasm dripping at the end.

"Well, it all started when his cute messenger came to our little village and gave us a letter…"

"Which I might add is a little suspicious considering Argentum isn't even on the map."

August simply ignored her comment and continued. "The wise wizard-"

"Old man."

"-needed someone strong-"

"Foolish."

"-enough to slay a great monster in some far off distant land. As a hero of justice, I was obligated by the heavens to carry out this deed and smite the evil beast."

"The village council forced one of us to go and you volunteered because you got sick of paperwork."

"N-Not at all! The wizard-"

"Old man."

"-simply wanted to establish a strong blood bond with our village!" He quickly added.

"…He bribed the council with a chest full of gold and jewels."

"It was a gift of good will!" He responded and turned his back to her in a dramatic fashion. " _Whoosh."_

Whoosh?

"Besides, everything turned out fine! The contract is fulfilled, the hero returns home, everyone is happy." August turned back and pointed at her. "This is the part where the heroine is supposed to embrace the hero in a loving manner. But no – instead I get electrocuted by an uptight closet-workaholic!" He outstretched his arms. "Everything is perfectly fine!"

And that was when something inside her snapped.

 _'_ _Perfectly fine? PERFECLY FINE YOU SAY? ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?!'_

She tore off her helmet and tossed it across the room. A loud clang hummed in the office along with a rapid succession of _thumps_ from the novels raining from the bookshelves.

"Two years! You've been gone for two years, August!" She released her pent-up frustration at him with wide silver eyes and clenched teeth. Her hair glowed golden with radiating fury.

Ah, there it was.

She tried her best to bury it. Her _weakness._ She thought the physical approach was enough to satisfy the feeling. If anything, July was lying to herself. "You broke your promise!"

August brought his hands up. "H-Hold on, I never –"

" _One year_." She hissed the remainder, clutching his shoulders with a deathstalker grip. "You announced so vigorously in that delusional tone of yours that you'd return in one year. _Hah!_ And you know what? I believed you. For once, I believed in one of your crazy declarations. _Pft…isn't that hilarious?_ "

The chuckle was forced, bitter, and mixed in with a dash of sarcasm to make the perfect room-chilling recipe.

"I…" August couldn't seem to find the words to respond.

"But you didn't come back. There was no letter, no messenger, absolutely nothing; there was nothing to tell us that you were still alive. Morale was going downhill. Rumours of your death spread throughout the village. Some people even questioned if their militia could really protect Argentum if the worst possible event occurred! While you were off doing gods-know-what out there, I've had that bastard council breathing down my neck this entire time. You don't understand what lengths I've gone through to defend my position all while making sure your _vacant_ spot wasn't filled with some blind puppet on strings!" July released her hold, moving to her desk with her back facing August. She mentally kept count of the seconds of silence as she took in controlled gulps of air.

July stared at the roof with a solemn expression. No, this wasn't how the reunion was supposed to go. It was full of emotion – just…just not the emotion she wanted.

"You don't understand." She rubbed her eyes and let out a shaky breath. "The letters I had to forge. The lies I had to tell with a straight face. My gods, do you have any idea how hard it was to lie to Summer every time she asked me when you were coming back?"

"Little Summer?" He croaked. "H-How is she?"

"Fine. She's doing…fine." She replied with a heavy sigh. The mental image of her sweet little sister's smile calmed the storm in her mind. The thought made the corners of her mouth tug upward. July turned back to face him with a neutral expression. "August, I'm sorry for exploding at you. A lot of stressful events transpired today. I guess you returning out of nowhere was the tipping point for me."

"What happened?"

"I can put you up to speed later." She waved the question aside and outstretched her hand. There was a genuine smile on her face. The chaos swirling behind her eyes had vanished, leaving behind pure honesty. "For now, how about we start anew? I'm sure you must have plenty of crazy stories to share with everyone if your appearance is any indication."

"…I would like that very much." Captain Trajan reached for her hand.

But the metal gauntlet stopped half-way. "No…"

His arm fell aimlessly to his side.

"August?"

"You shouldn't be the one apologizing." He said with his head hung low. "You have every right to be mad at me. And out of all the times you've physically abused me, this one was perfectly deserved."

"Only this occasion?" She raised a brow.

He didn't seem to be getting side-tracked between fantasy and reality. "I made you worry. I made everyone in this beloved village worry about me. I thought that if I acted as I always had, things would have gone back to the way they were. I was wrong. I acted like an idiot. I'm sorry."

"You're…sorry?"

"I'm sorry." He repeated himself as he reached for his helmet. Soft metal _*CLICKS*_ were emitted from the fidgeting head-piece. "I learned something during my Hero's journey. A very important life lesson."

"Is this about that love thing again?"

"Something even more important than that," August said as he casually twisted his helmet left-and-right. The _*CLICKS*_ had progressively become more noisy and frantic. Déjà vu suddenly lingered in the air.

"It's that – " _*CLICK* *CLICK* *CLICK*_ " – no matter how hard you try to keep _something_ unchanged – " _*CLICK*_ " – how hard you struggle and work to keep that _something_ perfect and be forever in your life, sooner or later you're going to – " _*CLICK*_ " – you're going to realize that – " * _CLICK*_ "…come on you stupid helmet, I'm trying to look cool!"

"D-Do you need help?" She said.

He leaned forward while shaking his helmet desperately. "No! I can do this. I'm almost there. I can feel it! I just need to add a little more – _AHA!"_

The damaged prison was ripped off from August's head. A deep gasp of fresh-air escaped from the familiar face. "As I was saying – sooner or later you're going to realize that your efforts were pointless. Change is inevitable. You just have to adapt and accept it…only to realize that you – we… no – _everyone_ is right back where we started."

July didn't know what to expect in the span of two years in terms of his face. Aside from growing her hair out a bit, not much had changed. The same could be said for August as well apparently.

His onyx brown hair was still as dishevelled as she remembered. Short spiky ends that were parted to the left wove outward in various directions, reminding her of a stubborn flickering flame that refused to go out in the middle of a wild storm. July would never admit it aloud around this delusional idiot, but August _was handsome_. Clean shaven, distinct cheekbones, and a chiselled jaw that could make anyone think that this man had been crafted by some legendary craftsman. Add that with his annoyingly blinding smile and it was no wonder that the other women – married or not – fangirled over him. (Or how a small population of men plotted to assassinate and hide the body deep in the mountains.)

It was a shame that July Rose neither had the patience nor interest in pursuing the realms of romance. The art of the spear, the responsibilities of Captain, and her love for her sister was enough to lead a fulfilling life.

And who could forget that eye-patch over his…what the hell?

"Gods, what happened to your eye?" _Big sis'_ mode took over and she found herself instinctively in front of the man hovering a hand over where his right eye used to be. Silver eyes met each other in brief silence; one filled with concern, the other with guilt.

"You wanted to know what took me so long." He brushed her hand away, his cheeks suddenly cherry. They faded not a second later. " _The monster_ the wizard wanted me to slay, it…" A fidgeting hand masked his face. "July, there are things out there that no man – _no human being_ – should raise their weapon against."

July fixed a frown over her face. "That still doesn't answer my question. What happened?"

"I...er..." He looked away from her. The pained expression he replied with twisted her stomach into knots. Was the experience that horrible to even recall? A pang of guilt surged from her heart at the realization. And then her shoulders stiffened with anger. Did that old man deceive them? Did he want August dead? Was this some kind of sick test for his amusement?

Was Ozpin plotting something against Argentum?

She firmly held August by the shoulders.

"Hey. C'mon." July comforted him in a soft, gentle tone. "You can tell me anything August. I'm a fellow comrade and more importantly, I'm your friend. You don't have to carry this burden alone. You can trust me."

Whatever it was, she'll support him. _Argentum_ will support him.

He sighed in surrender. "I fell."

…Excuse me?

"You… _fell_?" She repeated to confirm she heard that correctly.

"I fell." He repeated.

" _You fell_?"

"Off a mountain." He added.

" _Off a mountain?"_

"Off a mountain. Well, I'm using the phrase "fell off a mountain" loosely here. What really happened was that a witch kicked me off."

"A witch?"

"Yup, yup, a witch kicked me off her – "

"I heard you the first time!" July shouted with her arms thrown into the air. Her expression was filled with disbelief and disappointment. "Of course you'd say something like that. Just when I thought we were having a moment – a _normal, ordinary moment between good friends mind you! –_ you just had to…aargh!" She groaned into her hands. "Look, if you don't want to talk about it right away then just say so without making up some crazy story."

He took a defensive stance. "But I'm not...!"

The door suddenly opened and a young girl, gasping heavily for air, entered the office. Her white hoodie was covered in dirt and stained with grime. Beads of sweat dripped from her chin. The young girl looked as if she had run across the entire village.

And considering where their house was located, that was most likely the case.

July had to blink a few times to make she wasn't hallucinating from the stress. "Summer? You're not supposed to… I mean how did you… actually what are you doing here?"

"Big sis', is it true?" Her little sister heaved while hunched over with hands over her knees. (How adorable!) "Is he back? Is _big bro'_ finally back?"

"Er…" Her eye twitched. "Well, he's right over… _there?_ "

Or rather, he _was_ there.

"AHEM." There was a loud, obviously forced cough. July turned back in Summer's direction to see the other Captain leaning awkwardly on the wall beside the doorframe with his arms crossed. He wore a stupid expression with his squinted eyes and smug grin. She wasn't even going to question how and when he managed to get there so fast. It was rather embarrassing to see someone her age trying so hard to act "cool" in front of a child.

"B-Big bro'?"

"Yo." August greeted Summer with a casual finger-snap. A delicate glowing cinder emerged from his fingers and floated in the air. July had to crush it in her hand; otherwise, the office and possibly the entire militia hall would burn down. If silver eyes could affect humans then she would have done so to August a long time ago.

"Big bro' August!" Summer's eyes gleamed with joy, running up to him and embracing him with a lunging hug. Their laughter was rich and deep. The sight warmed July's heart and for a moment she forgot about all her worries outside Argentum.

"Aha! Little Summer! It's so good to see you after so long!" August declared, putting her adorable sister down. "I suppose this is the part where I say you've grown, but you're still as _smol_ as ever I see!"

"W-What did you say?!" Summer pouted with balled fists, her face as red as a tomato. "I-I'm not small! I've been drinking milk. I grew!" Stop with the tippy-toes then, little sister. Summer gazed at her with a panicked expression. _Aww, the desperate puppy eyes were too cute!_ "Right, big sis'? I grew, right? Tell August I grew! Please!"

July nodded along. "Yup."

"Hah! See?" She puffed out her chest with hands on her hips. _That smug smile was too much to handle!_

"By a few centimetres." July added with three fingers held up.

"July?! No! Don't tell him that part!" Summer cried, puffing her cheeks out in protest. Oh dear, Summer's eyes were practically swirling in embarrassment.

 _'_ _I'm sorry sister. Truly I am. But it's my job as the big sis' to tease the baby sister every now and then.'_ A small snicker escaped her mouth. _'Plus, seeing you acting all distressed over your height is just too cute!'_

"I almost forgot how lively it is to be together!" August continued to laugh at the Rose sisters' antics. This was good. He needed this. In fact, July needed this just as much as well.

"Ah, but on a serious note, Summer, tell me…" He struck a dramatic pose. Of course he had to pose. "…How is your training going?"

July's heart sank, cold sweat trailed down the back of her neck.

He doesn't know that Summer was ranked last in her class!

I-It wasn't July's fault, alright? Up until now, she was the _lone_ Captain of the militia. Even with Camilla's help, there was just too much work to be done. Too much work…so little time to rest…35 hours of sleep a week…! Can you really blame her if she wanted to spend what little time she had with Summer bonding as ordinary siblings and not training?

August was definitely going to use this chance to call out July's "negligence" and "how much of a workaholic she was." Him! Out of everyone here, it had to be this man?!

"Ah please wait, August! About Summer – "

"Ho ho…" Summer mimicked August's behaviour with an equally embarrassing pose; crossing her arms over her chest with an open hand covering half her face. _Ouch._ July inwardly flinched at the sight. "How foolish of you to ask, August. Can't you see the result of my intense training? I've achieved peak performance!"

"Hm…I see." August nodded with a stern look.

She gawked at her sister.

Lying was one thing. Half-truths was another. But this? Did old man Pigeon teach her some new kind of diversion tactic? It didn't matter right now. She needed to fix this before it ends up becoming a cobbled misunderstanding.

"H-Hold on, Summer, now isn't the best time to – "

"I've created 100 heroic poses and over 300 heroic speeches since you were gone!" She declared with utmost confidence in her tone, a blinding aura of pride radiated from her body. She showed off more of her "heroic poses" to August all while July's eye twitched unconsciously.

…Huh? T-This was what he meant by "training?"

This wasn't training at all!

"Marvellous! Wonderful! Amazing! As expected as the soon-to-be greatest Hero in all of Remnant!" August applauded Summer's performance. Fool! This was nothing to applaud to! Stop filling Summer's head with nonsense!

As much as she wanted to stop her sister's behaviour, July couldn't find it in herself to do so. How could she when those precious eyes screamed innocence? This…This is merely just a phase. Y-Yes! She'll grow out of it eventually. July was sure of it!

So for now, she'll play the role of the cool older sister and (painfully) observe the scene with a poker-face smile.

"By the way, that's a really cool eye-patch you're wearing, big bro'. Really helps pull off that roguish-hero-kind-of-vibe with the armour." Summer said in mid-transition to her next pose.

Wait.

That's it?

While July was filled with concern and questions, all her little sister did was compliment August's accident? At this point, July wasn't sure whether that was Summer's delusional optimism or sweet innocence. Eh, probably both.

Except August responded with an empty, cold gaze.

"Huh? Something wrong, August?" Summer asked. "Did I raise one of my arms too high or something?"

"Ah – please calm down August. Y-You know she means well!" She tried to correct the mood.

"…I'm disappointed in you Summer." He said.

"W-Wha-?"

Wait…he's posing again.

Why is he posing again?

Please learn to read the mood.

Especially when it's about you!

"Even after training for two years you still haven't unlocked the ability to see beyond the veil of this so-called _reality_ ," August muttered with his hand over his eye-patch.

Yes, this was an ordinary eye-patch. _Nothing else._

"What you see here isn't just simply an ordinary eye-patch."

…Yes, this was an ordinary eye-patch.

"But it's actually a magic seal!" He shot his index finger at the roof.

… _Sigh._

Summer's eyes suddenly sparkled with awe and glittered in wonder. "A-A magic seal? T-That's…that's…. _~sooooo coooooool~_! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! How did you get it? How did you get it?! Tellmetellmetellmetellme!" Summer started jumping up and down in quick succession as if she was high from a sugar rush. The more she jumped, the more excited and happy she became.

July groaned inwardly all while keeping the false smile plastered on her face. Little sister, please stop falling for this man's delusions!

He flourished his cape and broke into another embarrassing pose. No, seriously, please stop with the dramatic posing. Actually, please stop acting like that in general. You're a horrible influence.

Scratch that – "influence" is too light of a term.

"Corrupting" was more appropriate.

His voice suddenly became low and yet still held that annoying over-exaggerated appeal. "During my grand adventure, the dark avatar of destruction – the _wicked Gorgon –_ was sealed within this eye. It was a sacrifice I had to make in order to protect humanity. This magical artifact was granted to me by an ancient goddess in a far, distant land. Its divine sealing properties is the only thing that keeps this evil spirit at bay."

He let out a trembling breath – an exaggerated fake one, mind you – with his hand clutched over his eye-patch. " _Ah~_ even as we speak I can feel my eye trembling from the corrupted mana swirling within. Its murky whispers laced with false silver tongues, tempting me to undo the seal and unleash eternal darkness into this world…"

"S-So cool!" Summer squealed with shaking hands.

"But I must resist with all my might! I will not succumb to the darkness! For I am Captain Trajan! Argentum's _Aegis of Justice!_ " He screamed the last part at the top of his lungs, finishing his delusional speech with a bow and flourish. Summer cheered and applauded much to July's dismay.

"… _urghhh_ " The more he spoke, the more lifeless July's eyes became. It was basically a barren tundra at this point. She tried her best to contain her cringe. But she didn't think even the most deceitful mask in the whole world could hide her… _shame._

 _'_ _This…this is all your fault! You're the reason why I'm stuck with this stupid title! Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to be called the Spear of Justice?!'_ Her thoughts were running rampant from the trigger phrase.

"Isn't it great July?" Summer looked at her with a goofy grin. "With big bro' back you can finally spend more time with me! Think of all the less work you'll have to do!"

"Y-Yeah… less work for me… _~yaaaaay_..." She said quietly. July weakly raised her fist in the air to show her optimism. It wasn't much by this point. The grimace on her face. The cold, bitter defeat hidden behind her eyes. They were all too apparent realities.

"Indeed!" August chanted with hands over his hips. "Do not worry anymore, July Rose! Relieve yourself of all worries and fears. Why? Bec - "

"Because I am here!" Summer announced with a cheerful fist pump in the air. "Yeah!"

"Summer! You stole my dramatic line!"

"I'm sorry! I couldn't help myself!" She gave him a sidelong smirk. "...Besides, I executed it much better compared to you."

"Oi, since when did you become such a cheeky kid?" He said. "And how is _that_ any better? Your pose is all over the place!"

"Excuse me? I'll have you know..."

As Summer Rose and August Trajan rambled on to each other, July couldn't help but stare aimlessly at the starry night sky.

 _'_ _I still have faith that you'll grow up, little sister. My delusional childhood friend on the other hand… he's a lost cause. Dear heavens above, please, I pray to you. Show me that there's another sane soul somewhere in Remnant that understands what I have to go through…'_

* * *

 **(? POV)**

The cracked moon in the black sky was the only comforting thing in the wilderness. Small streams of lunar light seeped through the tiny cracks of the countless tree branches above. Distant _hoots_ from invisible owls could be heard somewhere. It was a good distraction from the horrible situation the boy was in. But the constant cracking of dry leaves and wood from his torn shoes was a far superior reminder that snapped him back into reality.

The young teen trudged through the endless greenery. Leaves and twigs sprouted out of his disordered hair. Urgh, it might as well be called a bird's nest! His trousers and white shirt were covered in dirt, mud, and other fluids that he didn't want to bring up. His stomach growled and begged for food. His legs ached and pleaded for rest. The weight from his sword on his back was beginning to take its toll.

He gritted his teeth and persevered. The tribe site was just up ahead. Just a few more – _ACK!_

A stray branch hit him in the face.

"Son of a bitch!" He growled in frustration.

"Can you hurry up, _dear brother_?" A voice called out from behind, sarcasm dripped heavily at the end. He felt a light shove from behind. The teen effortlessly caught his footing. He expected as much. Especially from her. Dirty tricks from behind was a way of life in the tribe. "I'm hungry, tired, and in a very foul mood right now."

He looked back at his twin with a scowl. "Well, I'm sorry, _dear sister._ How am I supposed to know you're on your period right now? You never tell me these things. Aren't we supposed to be family?"

That earned him a nasty snarl from her. "I will cut off your head and feed it to a pack of beowolves _. Keep. Walking."_

"Whatever." He raised his hands up in compliance. "Hey, do you think the old man is going to be pissed at us for failing our task?"

"Watch your tongue when you speak of the tribe chieftain." If another tribesman said that, he would have taken it as a threat or warning. But from her? Nah, it was just a chirping reminder. He knew better than to shit-talk their leader in _public_. In the middle of the forest, however? _Ha!_

"I'm just saying." He said – _WOAH! –_ he almost stepped on that sleeping skunk's tail. He sidestepped the familiar monster with utmost caution. Too bad his sister did the same. "The geezer is probably off getting wasted while he sent us to find some imaginary village full of imaginary people who all have imaginary silver eyes." He groaned in frustration. They wasted an entire day on a wild goose chase! "Seriously, what kind of name is _Argentum?"_

That's the kind of name you'd hear someone mutter after having one too many drinks.

"Pft." Her sister chuckled.

"What now?"

"N-Nothing." She said. "Maybe the chieftain thought you'd trip and fall down a cliff and miraculously find the village. You do have a talent for ah – _unfortunate coincidences._ "

Anger flashed his crimson eyes. His hand gripped the blade's hilt. "What did you say?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all." She responded instantly. "… _Mr. Bad-Luck-Charm."_

"…" He debated whether he should cut her into two. He was definitely stronger than her. At best, she could probably slice off one of his arms. Hmm, torso for arm sounds like a good trade.

"Something wrong, dear brother? You've stopped walking."

He sighed from exhaustion.

The dim flames from the torches in the distance calmed him down a bit. Right now, a cot underneath an old tent was much more appealing than committing siblicide.

"…Shut up, Raven." He groaned for the umpteenth time as he made his way back to the Branwen Tribe.

* * *

 **If you ever wondered why Summer acts like that, blame August.**

 **So, remember that 4 month hiatus between chapter 8 and 9? So here's the thing about my university program: 4 months of school, then 4 months of "internship", then 4 months back at school, etc until I graduate. You'd think going to work would be a good thing since I'd have more time to write once I get home, but NOPE! – school expects you to do an online course as well! I'm too mentally drained -_-…**

 ** _Ahem,_** **moving on to the next topic: this is the second chapter without Mordred's perspective. Don't worry, everyone's favourite totally-sane beowolf will return next chapter and their trump card is itching to be revealed on the next unsuspecting victim.**

 **Based on your reviews, you guys really like rooting for the mentally-questionable character. That's cool, I guess? I mean, the "protagonist" is supposed to have that effect in any story. What bothers me is that recently there's been this annoying voice in the back of my mind demanding I write Mordred – and only Mordred.**

 **"** **Your other OCs aren't what people want to read, they want the beowolf!" And then I would respond with, "but then I'd end up with boring side characters. I gotta develop them! Plus I'm pretty sure only writing about how a beowolf kills other grimm will get boring real fast". "Bullshit" says the voice, "no one cares about the other human perspective except for Summer. ETC ETC"**

 **As you can see, this internal loop has taken a big hit to my motivation. Some days I wonder if I should just skip all these character arcs just so that I can finish the Argentum arc and move on. But then it ends up as lazy writing with plot holes? Yes, yes I get it, I know what you're going to say, "you're the writer of the story, YOU decide what you want to write!" Bah, why does creativity have to be so complicated?!**

 **But enough about my ranting. I feel a bit better after finishing this chapter.**

 **Let's finish this off.**

 **Overlord has 2000+ followers. That's just…** ** _wow._** **I…I didn't think I'd get to this point. 1000+ was something I thought I would only get after 20+ chapters or something. But** ** _2000?_** **For real, what was it that made this story –** ** _a heavily OC-based story to boot_** **– that appealing to you?**

 **I think I spoke a bit too long, so I'll leave it with this.**

 _ **Thank you for reading my story. I'll keep writing, even if you think I'm dead or I quit, I'm not. I will get to the Beacon Arc, I swear!...E-Eventually.**_


	15. Knight Alpha: Mordred's Rematch

Eight…twelve…eighteen…

Eighteen?

Excellent! All bodies in the pit are accounted for!

…Huh?

I just realized how messed up that sounds without context. Eh, scratch that. Even with context included, I still sound like a psychopath. I'm not, alright? I'm not crazy or mentally unstable. Nope. Are you really going to trust the words of an incompetent shut-in reaper who messes up reincarnations? Thought so, me.

Muted growls could be heard from within the deep dug-out hole. A glint of wild satisfaction reflected from my tiny bared teeth as I gazed at the collection of grimm stacked on top of each other. Their bodies remained stiff. But if you looked closely you could see the faintest twitch from their muscles and joints. Almost as if they wanted to escape but some unknown force was commanding them to act like statues.

My puppy tail wagged in swift motions to match my ecstatic mood. They all look so… _so tasty…so fresh and ripe an-_ No! No! No!

I furiously shook my head.

Bad Mordred! Have some self-control!

These grimm are for experimentation. Important research for my ability. I spent the entire night making this hole and filling it with _delicious resources_. I'm not wasting my efforts on afternoon snacking! Yes, they're going to be absorbed regardless. But only after they've outlived their usefulness for my benefit.

…I know I'm painting myself in a worse light than before, but I want to make it clear. I'm not a psychopath, alright? Alright? What I'm doing is totally fine and ethical. They're mindless monsters after all. I'm doing Remnant a favour for killing them. I don't think anyone would care if I buried them alive and left them for storage overnight.

Well, I guess Summer would freak out considering her delusions and all.

 _'_ _Wha-What on Remnant is this?! A hole full of grimm? Hmm? Ah, I see now. Ho ho… preparing a ritual sacrifice to summon an ancient god? As expected of my arch-nemesis. But know that your efforts are pointless Mordred. Why? Because I will be the one to save the day!'_

 **"** **Grrr…"** My eye was twitching again. Urgh, the fact that I could imagine her saying that in one of her ridiculous poses makes me question if I'm losing my grip on my sanity.

Speaking of Summer – ah how should I put it.

I lowered my head with drooping ears and a blank expression. These thoughts are making me uncomfortable…

She's uh…well…you know…Summer is – erm…

Okay! Fine, I'll admit it. Summer Rose is actually smart! There, are you satisfied cruel world? Who knew her delusional imagination would be so useful? She has ideas that I never would have thought of in a hundred years.

A-And here I thought I was creative...

Shit, what's this gnawing feeling in my gut? Is this supposed to be jealousy? Hah, no way! There's no way in hell I'd be jealous of Summer! I'm just using her imagination to become stronger. That's all there is to it. Nothing more!

I let out a long breath and cleared my train of thought. Enough of this.

I need to focus.

It's not just Summer's imagination. In a way, the brat helped me look at the bigger picture. I've been so focused on getting high from absorbing Essence that I've been neglecting the unexplored areas of my random ability.

 _Authority._

 **I order this body of mine to transform into my Alpha form!**

My hulking form casts a shadow over the hole, blocking out any ray of light from entering. I'll admit, there's an odd sense of superiority standing over prey like this. It brings out my pride. Well, what's left of it anyways. That _damn knight_ blew a massive chunk of it into oblivion along with half my body. And my outcome against the reality-warping Violet didn't really improve it that much either. Seriously, I get that semblances are supposed to be superpowers. Really, I do. But c'mon – _popping out of existence?_

Those memories left a disgusting taste in my mouth.

 **"** **GRRrrr…"** I've been snarling unconsciously this whole time.

It will be different this time.

I will win against them. Any of them. _All of them if I must_. Just to prove that I'm the one individual that's impossible to hunt.

 **Authority Enhancement: Spear-like claws!**

An unfortunate beowolf met its end when my elongated fingers pierced its skull. Faint trails of smoke and black wisps whirled around my transformed hand. Its body went limp, the light in its eyes slowly fading away. Its Essence was absorbed, making its merry way through my arm. It brought a familiar warmth in my chest.

A light chuckle escaped through my sudden grin. My eyes widening from the euphoric rush. Damn, that felt good! Hmm, that boarbatusk looks so helpless…so… _plump_. T-The way it was just exposing its underside to me; as if it was asking me to absorb it. Maybe just another to test out –

 _SELF CONTROL DAMN IT!_

I pulled my arm away and undid my enhancement before my hunger got the better of me. My god, what is up with my heart rate? Isn't 80 beats-a-minute lethal for a human – oh right, _beowolf_.

 _Breathe in…_

 _…_ _Breathe out._

I flexed my claws in-and-out. Other than stiff fingers I can say with confidence that this experiment was a success. Add this small victory to the other successful tests!

I gave a quick scan of my surroundings. A good chunk of the area had been forcibly cleared of trees and other plant-life. The ground was littered with deep slash marks and impact craters. It looked as if some bloody battle ensued here. What can I say, I've been really busy yesterday. No rest for wicked, am I right?

I better bury my stock before I start getting tempted. Out of sight, out of mind.

A yawn escaped from my jaws. And with that, I've exhausted all of Summer's creative (I'm not jealous okay?) ideas. The brat had insisted that we call this phenomenon _"Villainous Enhancement"._ (And yes, she was posing when she suggested it). Pft, what a stupid name. Now _Authority Enhancement_? Now that's a cool name. To be honest I sort of feel like a badass when I give the order. Plus, since it's an original name that I came up with – all enhancements are technically my property. To put to put it short: Summer didn't do anything, I'm a creative genius, and screw the non-existent copyright laws.

Of course, there have been failures. A lot of _painful and very, very miserable_ failures. I've confirmed a slight limitation of my ability.

I can't enhance my body with features I've never absorbed before. Having my bones and flesh melt while experiencing ultimate physical and mental suffering is a good indicator of failure. If I wanted to become a terrifying dragon for example – I needed to absorb a terrifying dragon first. I can bend the rule a tiny bit. _Spear-like claws_ are just adding extra bone to my claws.

I want to make one thing clear. I don't enjoy uncontrollably melting or pain in general. Maybe some people in Remnant do, but not me. I'm not into masochism you see. I'll just wait for Summer to proclaim some more ideas and I'll shamelessly take them as my own.

Heh, the disappointment on Summer's face when I couldn't grow a pair of demonic wings was priceless. Though, I was equally disappointed when I couldn't form a pair of vocal chords. That would make my reborn life so much easier. Note to self: 'Eat a grimm with vocal chords.'

But then again, I don't think having a voice is going to solve my issue with the _"soon-to-be greatest hero in Remnant"_. If anything, I'd probably end up having countless childish arguments with Summer. My god. What a headache that would be! Whatever, I'll worry about it once I get to that bridge. Let's move on to more pressing matters.

I've already tried commanding my body to transform back into my human body. I prayed to any divine entity in the multiverse to grant me a miracle. I begged on all fours and pleaded with my face in the dirt. At one point I dropped down to Summer's level of delusionality. I won't go into details but just know that I was extremely exhausted, beyond desperate, and danced a mean _Macarena_.

Of course, I've accepted the fact that the multiverse hates me. And that it's a sadist. And it specifically loves screwing with me. _"Oh, you thought you could escape this terrible fate and simply command yourself to become human? ROFL LMFAO! Fuck you and fuck your happiness! You're going to be a monster until you die!"_

The only good thing that came from that was that I didn't melt. The bad thing? Nothing happened.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing happened at all!

Last night was the biggest disappointment of my life! Contrary to what many believe, despair isn't the worst feeling. _Hope_ takes first place for that. You know what I mean? That tiny glimmer of light out of nowhere at end of that dark tunnel? That same glimmer of light that gives you a surge of strength to run towards it with a small grin on your face as you think of all the things you'll do once you get out of the tunnel?

And just as you stretch out your hand to feel its warmth – some asshole closes the exit door and locks it. And now you're back where you started. Trapped in some narrow dark tunnel with no access to wifi.

Sorry, my pessimist side likes to take over sometimes.

Looking back, I expected as much. If a grimm dies, my ability allows me to absorb its Essence. But a dead human? My old pack would occasionally bring back torn human limbs, and never did they spontaneously combust and be absorbed into me. To be a little honest I'm kind of relieved that wasn't the case.

If only there was a way to revert to my previous… self?

My previous self?

Hmm…

My human form…

Human…me…?

Wait…

WaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWaitWait.

What.

The.

Fuck.

 **"** **HAH HAH HAH HAH!"** My hands covered my face. The punchline revelation was too much. O-Oh my god. T-That's hilarious!

I can't recall my face. Nor my hair colour. Nor if my body was fat or skinny. I don't even know what my voice sounded like either. It's only been a couple months but I can't remember what I used to look like!

All I can picture is a beowolf pup.

Shit, I can't stop laughing. This is too much!

I suddenly felt my muscles weakening. My strength was fading. I don't feel like standing anymore. I fell on my back with a thundering _BOOM_. Arms and legs spread wide and uncaring. I laughed. And I laughed. And I laughed some more. I just kept on laughing until I felt my lungs shrivel up.

Deep breaths, Mordred, deep breaths.

Ah, the sky looks so pretty. Giant cotton-candy clouds just drifting aimlessly. It gives off a very "zero-fucks-given" kind of vibe, you know? Does whatever it wants. And the world below just accepts it like everyday life.

…I'm suddenly tired now.

With a quick growl I transformed back into my original form, walked to the nearest tree, and curled up into a ball. I'll just sleep for now and wait for Summer to come and –

 _*SNIFF*_

 _Urgh!_

W-What is this smell? It smells like burning garbage. It's making the fur on my back stand on its ends. My nose is burning. It's twitching on its own! Sweet Jesus, it's burning like hell. It reeks! What on earth…?!

"…AHA HA HA HA HA-"

The ground beneath me shook violently. I instinctively drop my body as low as possible to maintain balance. The sound of rattling rubble attacks me from all angles. I could hear the incoming destruction in the distance ahead of me. The travelling vibrations send a chill down my spine. The masculine laughter er – unholy screeching – grew louder by the second.

The wall of trees around a hundred metres across from me explodes. Clusters of torn bark, dirt, even a poor grizzly bear soar through the air. My canine jaw drops. My heart stops for a moment to take in the sight. Is that a…giant snake – oh my god.

A king-taijitu busted into my testing grounds like a bullet train. The white serpent's movement was sporadic, its head flailing in wide frantic motions. Almost like it was trying to remove something off its - what the heck?!

"HA HA! Come now! Is this all you have, vile serpent?" The masculine voice boomed. My eyes widened at the figure on the grimm's head.

Y-You?! What are you doing here?

My heart skips a beat and my body tenses up. The dreaded flashback clawed its way into the center of my mind. I could hear the phantom echoes. The distant howls of dying beowolves. The ghostly crackling lightning from that golden spear.

 _That damn knight has returned._

The huntsman who obliterated my entire pack now stood on top of the rampant serpent grimm's head with a sword plunged in its skull. And he was laughing like a madman as if he was enjoying this? What the hell happened to you? You were basically a silent ghost when you fought against me and now you're letting your emotions run wild? Did you finally decide to settle down with one of your harem girls?

"You've proven yourself a worthy warm-up, serpent. It was thanks to you that I've gotten a good stretch, hah hah! Now! Feel the flames of the sun itself! Incinerate into dust and ashes – _Galatine!_ "

An explosion of flames erupted on the serpent's head. The knight was engulfed in the roaring inferno. The wildlife went into a panic. The frantic flapping of wings, galloping of hooves, and distinct cries all flood into my ears at once. I can practically taste the smoke seeping through the gaps of my gritted teeth. My body shook from the aftershock as a wave of immense heat rushes past me.

Exploding fire sword? Why am I not surprised? Of course you'd have something like that. Silver eyes and thunder spear wasn't enough for you? You just had to be even more overpowered? It wouldn't even faze me if you magically had two semblances. Sure, why not?

I peer at the scene with squinted eyes.

The lone knight stood over the limp form of the king-taijitu, its head region burnt black with thick trails of smoke escaping its hollow eyes. He pulled the sword out of its skull and rested it over his shoulder-plate while his shield hung loosely over his other arm. He posed in a victorious manner with his (tattered?) cape swaying in the breeze. I know for a fact that Summer would be squealing like a fan-girl if she saw this.

Then again, if my hunch that the damn knight was part of Summer's village then I wouldn't be surprised if that delusional girl was part of his fan club.

It was at that moment that something _clicked_ within me. It was one of those iconic light-bulb moments. It made the corners of my mouth curl upwards.

This is my chance to redeem myself!

"Today was a good day for a walk. Welp, better head back before July- "

 **"** **AAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGHHHHHHHHH!"**

 **Authority Enhancement: Armored gauntlet!**

A thunderous roar swept across the entire forest. A tornado of debris was fired into the blood-hungering air. My entire arm was covered in bone platting ready to crush the bastard from where he stood.

A single second. That's all I need to close the gap between us!

I'll end this in one shot!

My fist connects with steel. The force of impact was so overwhelming that a destructive horizontal whirlwind had formed and obliterated anything in its path. Towering trees were pushed aside. Boulders were flung high into the sky. My fur was blowing madly in the resulting winds. Rapid vibrations blast through my entire body followed with an odd _numbing_ sensation around the base of my claw.

 **"** **Grrrrrrr…"**

This should be the part where I'm laughing from the adrenaline. This should be the part where the euphoric sensation of victory consumes every fibre of my being. And yet, despite such a powerful attack…

"Hmm, I suppose this is the part where I'm supposed to be flung across the forest and then go ' _SPLAT!_ ' right?" The damn knight muttered in a low hollow tone. He completely nullified my blow with his shield. I couldn't see, let alone _feel_ , any dents on that thing. The ground had crumbled, completely burying his heels into the earth itself.

And yet he didn't seem to care at all. How? I put everything I had into that!

"Apologies, _Knight Alpha –_ can I call you Knight Alpha by the way? It's rather fitting with that mask of yours – but I'm not one to follow the script when the spotlight is on me." He peaked an inch away from his shield, revealing his battered helmet. My heart froze when I peered into the darkness behind his visor. That's strange? This constricting feeling in my chest. This odd unfamiliar scent.

It's almost as if I'm meeting this person for the first time?

"Attacking my blind-spot was a bit rude. But I guess that's expected in your villain-archetypes. Too bad for you that I have a goddess' clairvoyance on my side. I saw your assassination attempt long before you even sprung from the shadows."

Clairvoy - _What?_

He let out an audible metallic yawn. That really made my blood boil. This motherfucker had the guts to yawn when I'm trying to kill him! This knight…this damn knight…damn him, damn him, damn him –

 ** _Claim what is yours. Gluttonize. For you are…_**

 **"** **Haaaa…"**

A warm familiar feeling coursed through my body. I was so caught up in my emotions that I forgot that I just absorbed the crispy corpse of the king taijitu. And just like that the fog that clouded my mind vanished.

 **"** **Ha ha ha…"**

"Oh? What's this?"

Everything was clear now.

 **'** **Authority Enhancement: Ursa hypertrophy!'**

Everything was simple.

 **"** **HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"**

"What the... _Hnngg_!" An audible creaking of steel filled in the silence of the still air. The knight sunk an inch deeper into the ground as I forced more power into my grossly muscular limb. I could feel the monstrous waves of blood pumping through my engorged veins. Violent cracks began to spread throughout the bone plating covering my growing arm.

It's not enough.

I need more.

More.

More.

More!

I need more power!

"What – just what kind of black magic is this? No beowolf should be capable of such a feat. Knight Alpha just _who –_ no _what_ exactly are you?"

Where are my manners? I leaned my neck closer to his metal face. My eyes radiated with hatred and fury. But where was the overwhelming euphoria? Oh where oh where? Bad eyes! Very bad eyes! You're going to make me look like a crazy beast in front of the huntsman!

"Hey... _hngg!..._ isn't it a bit early in the fight for a… _hngg!..._ power up? And what's with the laughter? Please be serious, Knight Alpha. Grinning and cackling like a madman doesn't suit a lowly mob charact – _hngg!_ " The deeper I forced him into the ground, the louder and wild my continuous laughter became. I'm sorry. I can't help it. I mean, how else am I supposed to handle this raw emotion? Bottle it up? No thanks!

I just realized. Isn't this a similar situation I put Violet in? My grin curled even farther upward. Ah, but you're not Violet. You're not the girl whose sheer desperation to live saved her life. No, no, no, no! You're much stronger than her. In fact, from the ruined state of your appearance, I'm willing to bet you got even stronger. That's good!

It will make my victory over you even better! No matter how you look at it – this is _your_ fault. You created this monster and now you must take responsibility. I'll bury you alive!

"It seems the sudden surge in power has clouded your non-existent mind, Knight Alpha." He said. From the corner of my eye, I saw the sun's gleam from his outstretched sword. The hot steaming blade ignited in brilliant flames. "Revealing your neck to a warrior of justice – that will be your downfall!" He swung his flaming sword in a wide arc with hopes of decapitating me. "Incinerate to dust and ashes – _Galatine!"_

 _Oh no! Looks like the big bad beowolf is going to meet its end!_

 _~Pfftt!_

…Did you really think I didn't anticipate that?

I'm not insane enough to do something that stupid unless I know my victory is guaranteed! (Then again, I'm not insane to begin with.)

 **I command this body of mine to revert to its original state!**

My body shrinks just as the burning sword was inches away from my neck.

"W-What?!"

Heh. This brings back memories. Talk about déjà vu am I right? But the outcome will be different this time. See, here's the thing, you _damn knight_. I'm not the type of perso – _ahem!_ – beowolf to repeat past mistakes.

I will learn.

I will adapt.

I will evolve.

 **I command this body of mine to transform into my Alpha form!**

My form rises from the remnants of black cinders.

"Wha- " I shot out my arm and crushed his head in the palm of my claw with a monstrous grip. I ripped his body from the ground, flung him over my head and –

 **'** **Authority Enhancement: Ursa hypertrophy!'**

 _*BOOM*_

I slammed the knight straight into the earth. A massive ever-growing crater was formed from the impact. The air crackled and vibrated. The entire forest shook and trembled. A storm of debris shot up into the clouds.

Get dunked on!

…And then there was silence.

The only thing I could hear was the hard rattles of rocks falling from the sky.

My breathing was rampant and unsteady. My heart was racing. Ah, I think it might actually burst at the rate it's going. This wasn't fatigue or anything. Just intense exhilaration. I think my brain is doing its best to process the elevated adrenaline levels right now.

I still had a death grip over his still helmet. His entire body was motionless. Oi, bastard. You still alive? I glance down to his arms, half-expecting the bastard to surprise me with his sword. Or maybe a sneaky lightning bolt to the face perhaps?

It was neither. The face of his shield was implanted into the ground. The same thing could be said about his blade too; the entire steel was practically buried. Odd. But the weirdest part? He was still holding his weapons. Strong grip over the handle and everything. Was this rigor mortis? I've heard about the human body sometimes freezing up upon death but seeing it first-hand was kind of bone-chilling.

"…Heh." A…chuckle. Did he just chuckle?

He's still alive?!

What kind of bullshit aura levels do you have?!

He's glowing red. Why is he glowing red?!

"My mana overflows with radiance... return all darkness back into creation and reduce all evil to cinders…"

H-Hold on. You sounded an awfully like Summer with that line just now. Eh? Did it suddenly get hotter or is it just me –

 **"** **~EX~PLO~SION!~"**

Intense flesh melting heat.

Blinding white light.

Mute ringing.

That's what I experienced for a millisecond before I'm blasted by an ungodly force and sent hurtling through the sky. My vision was coming back but it's completely distorted. Everything was spinning. My lungs were filled with smoke. The nauseating flickering flashes are making it worse. The harsh ringing hammering through my eardrums was just the icing on the cake at this point. And I'm pretty sure that muffled screaming was mine.

I returned to the ground with a graceful landing.

I'm not lying or being sarcastic.

Smashing through numerous trees with broken bones and then having your face be dragged through dirt and worms was as graceful as you're going to get in these kinds of situations.

 **"** **Grrrrr…."** I groaned with one eye barely open. It was at this point that I've come to some concrete conclusions.

1) The damn knight has two semblances.

2) He spouts the same nonsense as Summer.

3) Everything hurts!

3.5) Thank god for my armored face.

I don't think my left foot is supposed to be touching my ribs. Blotches of fur were burned off, leaving behind sizzling skin and bubbling flesh. Let's see here. I can twitch my left claw, but I've lost feeling in my right arm. Hold on, let me just glance over and – ah no wonder! – my forearm was blown off. Hmm, I don't think I'm supposed to taking this in so casually. Then again, I suppose repeatedly losing body parts does that to one's mind.

 _"_ _Oh, you lost an arm? Really? Again? Urgh, hurry up and go absorb a grimm then. And fix that leg while you're at it"_ I could imagine my body complaining to me. Great suggestion. And how do you suppose I do that? Crawl while my insides are burning? Tch, and there's not even a single grimm for me to consume….

 _~Oh what ever shall I do? Oh, woe is me!_

Heh.

 _…_ Your imagination really is such a handy tool, isn't it Summer? And to think I'd have to use my trump card so soon. Oh well. It can't be helped!

 **'** **Authority Enhancement: Forced regeneration!'**

The next few seconds were true hell. The agonizing pain grew to the size of Mt. Everest. It was so intense that I couldn't even cry out. My bones twisted and turned, bending unnaturally and snapping back into place. The cracking sound of my skeleton repairing itself was very unsettling. My flesh _burned_ itself back into normality. And my arm? The feeling of forcing my arm to grow back was like dunking said arm into a tub of concentrated sulfuric acid. No, that's not it. This scorching torture can't be described with words!

I was left desperately gasping for air when the process finished. Regardless, I got up and inspected my arm with a gleeful expression. Good as new!

I tried this command with a simple self-inflicted cut last night and it felt like a light burn at most. I guess repairing the whole body was an entirely different issue? That's just ridiculous. Killing grimm to heal myself is painless but commanding myself is where my random ability starts creating boundaries?

Bullshit aside, the only reason I could think of for the painful recovery was that my body was using its own resources to compensate. Urgh, just the thought of having to burn up my Essence supply makes me want to throw up. I think it would be best if I kept this trick as a last resort. Aw man and I really wanted to make the ' _constantly-regenerating lone wolf on the battlefield'_ fantasy a thing too!

 **"** **AAAAARRRRGHHHH"**

Whatever! I'm combat ready! I don't care if you have two semblances. I've already got two – no three plans prepared to counter you! Don't think for a second you've got the upper hand against me. I will definitely win against you –!

Wait is someone screaming right now?

"I AM HEREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" A loud voice declared in the sky. I looked up to see a meteor heading right towards me –

Shit!

With a burst of energy into my heels, I jumped back. The huntsman crash-landed directly to where I had previously stood. An explosion of heat erupted from his landing, sending waves of smoke everywhere. I bared my fangs and endured the harsh whistling rushing through my skull.

The smokescreen didn't last long. It was cut apart with a single glowing streak of embers. A rhythm of fluttering branches surrounded us. Slow burning leaves swayed in the air before disappearing. Damn, I know I'm supposed to hate the guy but the way his cape flourished when he swung his sword sort of looked cool.

He didn't advance. In fact, he took a casual stance with his weapons lowered. Was he trying to bait me? Does he think I'm that stupid to fall for that? Oh ha ha, I get it now. It's because I'm a mindless monster, right?

Stay alert.

How is he going strike? A blitzing frontal assault? Running to the side for cover? Long-range lightning or fire projectiles?

"…Fwahahaha! Ha ha ha ha! Wonderful!" He let out a hearty laugh with his chest sticking out.

Wait what?

"I'm impressed, Knight Alpha!" He exclaimed. "Not many grimm are able to survive against my Explosion and stand up without even a single scratch! Not only that but it appears you possess an unnatural ability to morph your body to whatever you please. You…indeed you're not like the rest of your kind. You are an abnormality in this world of wicked monsters. _Your mere existence twists and distorts the true ether_ _particles within this realm. The dark mana that you emit. Ah, how my cursed eye trembles from it…_."

…Huh?

He swung his blade aside in an overly-dramatic fashion, much like how Summer did with her sword. "Very well! You have proven yourself a worthy warm-up partner. As a reward I shall give you my name! Ha ha!"

I really don't care. Can we just fight?

He pointed his blade at the sun. "I am the manifestation of justice that engulfs all darkness. I am the igniting blade that lights up the immortal battlefield. I am the blazing shield that…"

Oh my fucking god he's worse than Summer! And he's still talking?!

"…Argentum's _Aegis of Justice!_ I am August Trajan! Your end has co – ACK?!"

He sliced the incoming tree in half.

"…" He looked at the tree, back to me, and then back at the tree.

"D-Did you just throw a tree at me? That's just rude, you know? Don't you know it's proper fighting etiquette to let the heroes finish their mid-battle spe- WHA-" The arrogant chad leaped out of the way from an incoming boulder. "Stop throwing things at me when I'm talking!"

Tsk, I missed again.

"Listen here." He brought his hands close together and exhaled with exaggeration. "I'm trying to be honourable here. So, I would appreciate it if you gave me a minute to fini – Oi!" He blocked my piercing claws with his shield. It's no good. I thought rushing in would do the trick.

This lunatic has clearly developed unconscious reflexes through countless encounters with grimm. As expected from a huntsman.

"Bah! Fine! If you want to lose your head that badly then be my guest!" August kicked back. I advanced forward. The sounds of claws clashing with metal were the only things I could hear. I swiped. I stabbed. I chomped. I unleashed a rapid-fire of attacks on August in every direction. All he could do was block with his shield and intercept with his sword. I'm not going to give you a chance to attack me!

Your two semblances are strong, I'll admit it. But after having experienced both, I've figured it out. You need time to charge your semblances up. So as long as I keep up the offensive, you can't fry me with your lightning or fire! I'll chip away your aura piece by piece until you're nothing but a walking trashcan!

" _Reduce to ashes_."

What?! Shit, his sword's glowing red! But how? When did he have the time to charge up?!

 _"_ _Galatine!"_ I transformed back into my pup form to dodge the swing. I felt the familiar heat against my fur. Except it felt…weaker than last time? Almost as if there was less fuel added into the furnace.

 **I command this body of mine to transform into my Alpha form!**

"That trick won't work twice against me!" He declared as I reached for his head. A sudden light glimmered under my peripheral vision.

He's igniting his feet!

" _~Mana Burst! ~"_

The ground beneath us exploded, knocking both of us both into the air. Pieces of burning rubble and dirt were scattering everywhere. We landed a measurable distance away from each other. I was beginning to feel the mild burns around my lower legs.

I don't have much time before we have to engage in combat again. I need to figure out this guy's abilities quick.

Was there more to his fire semblance? And why hasn't he used his lightning semblance yet? Is it because he needs that stupid glowstick spear to control it? He hasn't used it against me so far so it's a sound conclusion for now.

But now for his flames…

"What happened to that berserker attitude of yours? Come at me! The day is still young! The divine spirits still need to be entertained!" He taunted me, clanging his sword against his seemingly unbreakable shield. Hm? His sword wasn't igniting. Nor his armor either…

Wait!

If my hypothesis about his lightning semblance and spear was true, then the same could be said with his fire semblance and his current equipment too, right? Yes, it makes sense the more I think about it. The only times he activated his flames were only after I struck his shield and sword! And when he blocked my enhanced punch…

The way he positioned his grip over his swords and shield when I dunked him as if the madman wanted all the damage to come to his arms…

The wide gap in power between that explosion and his current flames…

My eyes widened.

My maddening grin and ferocious snarl returned full throttle – no brakes.

"Oh? Looks like the berserker is coming back. Good! Good!"

Professor Mordred has found the solution!

This delusional damn knight has been using the energy from my attacks against me! He's using it to fuel his semblance!

No wonder why he wants me to rush at him. I've been playing into his trap this whole time! Damn it. I thought his delusions automatically made him an idiot like a certain brat I know. His experience as a huntsman is really showing now.

I unleashed a deafening roar.

You've said it yourself, _"That trick won't work twice against me!"_

I got on all fours, digging my hind feet deep into the soil. Raising my left arm, I pulled my elbow back and stretched my claws.

 **'** **Authority Enhancement: Armored gauntlet! Ursa hypertrophy! Spear-like claws!'**

"By the gods…" August gasped from the sight of my grotesque diversion. "This is your final move? An unholy spear to pierce the very heavens itself? Bah! A revolting mockery of my darling July's beautiful _Gungnir_ is what that is!"

I'll play along with your little delusions, huntsman. I'll run straight into that deceptive trap of yours and use it against you. You'll be so focused on blocking my left arm that you won't see the elongating claws of my right piercing straight into your visor. That's right! Your strength will be your downfall!

 **"** **HA HA HA HA HA!"** Shit, I'm starting to laugh again. C'mon, grit your fangs and hold it together. Hold it together. You can laugh all you want after you've gotten your revenge.

"…Very well." His shield dropped to his feet.

Hold on are you really an idiot? How do you plan on blocking this attack without your shield? That's the whole point of my brilliant plan! Are you giving up? Hey, you better not. I would be very pissed off if you ruined all that build-up to end it like that.

"If you're going show me the limits of your abilities, then I'll have to push past my own." He held his sword in front of his frame with two hands. "Knight Alpha, let me show you what it means to go above and beyond! _Release limiting seal_ - _type K.O.T.R: Condition of Knight Gawain has been met…"_

There was a soft sound of gears whirling from the sword. The hilt of his sword extended, unlocking a small gap between his grip. A dark purple light radiated from the opening. The blade was lowered – forcibly I might add – almost as if the weight of his weapon increased ten-times. Was this some sort of elemental dust?

August's blade began to glow with a shimmering mixture of red and orange. Faint trails of steam began leaking out of his armor. His cape lit ablaze, scattering tiny embers from behind. "Be engulfed in the sun itself and be purged into the plains of non-existence."

 _Galatine_ roared in flames with an unseen ferocity. I couldn't even see the silhouette of the blade anymore. This man was holding pure fire in his hands at this point. The sight of it made my heart race, my blood boil, my mind clear. How exciting! How exciting! I can't wait anymore!

 **"RRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!"** I put everything I had into my limbs and charged.

" _~Mana Burst! ~"_ August used the momentum from the mini-explosion to accelerate himself forward. The forest cried out from the sudden howls of wind. Only to be drowned with the cacophony of our war cries.

This was it. The moment our attacks are mere inches from each other – that will be the moment the victor will be determined. Yes! This was the victory that I was chasing after! I won't lose! I won't los-!

"BOTH OF YOU STOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!"

W-What?! That annoying voice?!

If only for just a millisecond my eyes moved to the side.

 _A stupid girl wearing an equally stupid white hoodie..._

 _H-Hey...is that..._

"Summer?!" August screamed.

I want to say that I used this opportunity to pierce August when he was distracted. I want to say that I celebrated with vigorous laughter and that the sight of his guts spilled on the floor sent me into a state of pure ecstasy. I want to say many things about what happened next like some sort of unreliable narrator in some discount fantasy novel.

But, sadly, these are the things I _want_ to say.

What happened next was probably one of the most anti-climactic things I have ever had the displeasure to experience.

"Guhhh…?!"

Neither of us managed to land our signature attacks. With a certain delusional girl distracting both of us we ended up in a literal head-on collision. And with my thick skull plating and his steel helmet and aura, I can say with confidence that we both had a similar experience of headbutting a brick wall.

We fell back in an embarrassing fashion. We could have gotten right back up and resumed our duel to the death. But the mood was gone. Whisked away by the existence of a certain irritating girl who replaced it with an atmosphere of awkwardness.

If this was the most anti-climactic memory I could recall in my reborn life then what happens next was definitely my most humiliating.

* * *

"I am very upset with both you." Summer stated with her arms crossed in front of us. If she were a little older I would have mistaken that childish frown for actual anger. "Like, like I'm super upset right now. So upset that if the moon wasn't destroyed I would have destroyed it with my super-sword laser attack." She mimicked sword-thrusting motions as she said this.

"I have…so my questions right now." August muttered while he sat on his knees.

That makes two of us.

His busted helmet and weapons were placed neatly in front of him. I know this is probably the wrong time to say this but that chad face of yours really pisses me off for some reason.

This would be a great chance to attack him while he's defenceless.

Yes, I _would_ stoop that low if it meant securing my victory.

Too bad I can't do that with my pathetic claws. I'm in my pup form right now. _"Why?"_ my logical side asks. Well, it's because Summer said so. _Urk!_ The thought of my reasoning just caused a sharp pain in my chest. I wish I knew the reason why I complied. It's probably because I'm tired?

"Pst, Knight Alpha? Is this some sort of illusionary spell you've cast on me?" August asked while exchanging glances at Summer and me. I rolled my eyes in response. An illusion? Hah! Please. There are a lot of things I'd make an illusion of if I could. But Summer Rose? Nah, she wasn't even on the list.

"Hush! Stop talking to each other so casually!" Summer yelled at his face. _Heh._ I'll admit seeing his face in pure shock brought some joy in me. She then looked to me while pointing out her index finger with shaking fury. How cute. "And you! _Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"_

~Yes, I'm Mordred.

Summer pulled up her hood and bit her lip. "Guh...!"

Woah woah woah.

Hold up, are those tears brimming out from the corner of your eyes? "How could you?!"

I tilted my head with and responded with clueless puppy eyes.

How could I what?

"I thought we had something special!" Excuse me what? There was nothing between us in the first place. She placed a hand over her chest and brought her fist in the air. "An unbreakable bond that intertwines our threads of destiny together. We made an eternal contract as hero and villain on that fateful day! That we would be together, fighting as great enemies to determine the fate of the world. And yet here I find you fighting it out with another hero!"

My ear twitched. E-Excuse me? Am I hearing this right?

Summer began sheepishly touching the tips of her index fingers together in a repeating fashion. Her gaze suddenly broke away with her cheeks heated up under her hood. "I-It's because his sword is bigger than mine, isn't it? A-And it can heat up and shoot hot fire too, r-right?"

What the fu -?

I frantically shook my head. No! Not at all! This has nothing to do with his sword. This has nothing to do with swords in general! Stop making this any more awkward than it has to be!

I growled back at her.

Who I fight and what I do with my free time is none of your business!

"I don't have the complete story here but that's pretty despicable, Knight Alpha." August added. I responded with a nasty glare. No matter how I look at it, this is your fault that we're in this mess. You were the one who killed my entire pack and threw a nuclear lightning bolt at me in the first place. So don't you dare try to shift Summer's tantrum on me!

"Eh? And what's this about _Knight Alpha?_ That's a stupid name! _"_ She scowled at August before gazing back at me. "Isn't Mordred an amazing name for a villain?"

"Mordred? T-The beast's name is _Mordred?_ " He sounded shocked that a creature of grimm had a name apparently.

"Yup! I named them myself. A fitting name worthy for my archenemy if I do say so myself! Don't you think so too, Mordred?" She puffed her chest up with pride.

I barked in agreement.

" _Mordred?"_ He repeated my cool name once more.

"Mordred." Summer confirmed with a nod.

~Yes, I'm Mordred.

"As in _Sir Mordred_ from _Luna's Kingdom?_ The fabled Treacherous Knight who betrayed the Sword-Saint's Round Table? You named a beowolf after that Mordred?" He was giving me a shoddy look this entire time. It's okay buddy, I hate you too.

"I'm truly a genius, aren't I?" This girl was leaking pride if the smug look was anything to mention. "Ah! No, wait! I'm supposed to be mad at you! _Hmmmpf_!" She looked away with a frown.

"I…see. So much has changed in two years." He muttered after coming to terms with my identity. "Y-You know it's against the rules to venture in the forest without militia supervision, r-right? Does anyone back at the village know about this? Does your sister know about…um… _Mordred_?"

Huh?

Did he just say sister? My eyes were flickering left and right between the two now. You have a sister?! Wait, if Summer Rose has a sister then that means Ruby has an aunt. How come you've never told me about this?!

"Of course I've told them." She answered without any enthusiasm.

My heart sank.

You what?! Are you trying to get me hunted down? I'm aware that my goal is to become strong and the extra experience against huntsmen would really help me - _but come ooooon._ How do you fight someone with plot-armour and overpowered semblances?

She grimaced. "It's just that nobody believes me. Not even big sis'. She thinks its all from my imagination."

 _Whew._

If her older sister thinks that I'm part of Summer's delusions of grandeur then there's still hope that not everyone in Argentum is delusional like those two. Hmm, I bet she's the gentle older sister type who's the village florist. Maybe a librarian? Yup, if Summer were to introduce me to her then I'd think we'd get along just fine. After all, we both put up with Summer.

He gave me a quick glance. "What I'm going to say next focuses on you, Mordred. It's very awkward so you might want to cover your ears."

My ears twitched and I clawed the dirt with my paw. And how do you suppose I do tha- oi Summer what do you think you're doing – _Erk!_

Summer had cupped her hands and folded my ears forward over my head. A foreign shock ran through my entire body. What the hell do you think you're doing, brat?!

"There, now they can't hear anything." This stupid girl. That's not going to work!

Urgh, my muscles feel stiff all of a sudden…

"So… Mordred hasn't tried to eat you or anything?" Gross! I'll have you know that I haven't eaten a single human since I've been here. Talking trash about someone when they're right beside you is rude you know?

Though to be fair, I guess it's expected you don't trust me. What with me planning on backstabbing you and all.

"Nope." She popped the 'p' at the end. "They prefer hunting grimm. I think it's supposed to power up their ability that destiny gave them."

"A beowolf hunting its own kind? That sounds kind of…" He shook his head. "The more I try to uncover this tale the more questions I discover that need to be answered. This…this is a lot to take in right now. And this is coming from someone who's travelled around Remnant and seen magic."

Magic? Travelled around Remnant? Does that mean you know about the four maidens and Ozpi-

 **…** **!**

Something overwhelmed my entire being. The foreign shock came back and it's even worse now.

"Oh." Summer gasped.

"Oh? Wait, are you…rubbing the beast's ears?" August asked.

My eyes widened.

You're doing _what_ to my ears?!

"Erk…" Summer mumbled in a weak and strangely embarrassed voice. "I'm sorry. I know I'm supposed to be mad at you. B-But…! Y-Your ears are really soft and fluffy, Mordred."

What the absolute hell did you just say?! This stupid girl! I'll show you how " _soft and fluffy_ " I am once I transform into my Alpha form!

…J-Just let me go so I can get rid of this r-ridiculous feeling.

 _This indescribable euphoria…._

 _It's so different compared to absorbing Essence… and yet…?_

No!

Bad thoughts!

I…I must resist! I can't give in to this…this… _this bliss._

 _...?!_

It's overwhelming my senses.

 **"** **Hmmmm…"** No, don't moan you fool! I'm not supposed to enjoy thi– wait. Is my tail wagging from this?! No! _~Stoooooppp!_

"Little Summer, have you lost your mind?" August's voice suddenly boomed. There was a clanking of metal. I'm assuming he's standing now. I'm ashamed to admit it but… it's hard to turn my head right now. _*SHING!_ Oh, he just unsheathed his sword. "This shapeshifter is overflowing with dark mana! It could transform at any second now!"

My mind is growing hazy. I-I can't think properly. My eyes are suddenly anchors, plunging deeper and deeper into the bottomless sea of sleep.

" _They_ aren't going to transform." From her sharp tone, I think Summer was glaring at him?

"B-but how can you be so sure that it er – _they_ – aren't going to?"

"T-This is a super-duper-secret combat technique that I devised through countless sleepless nights. Indeed! This technique was my trump card to subdue the great villain Mordred! **_Summer Rose's super seriously secret anti-villain technique: Forbidden Lullaby Echoing from the Lost Garden at the Ends of the World!"_**

"To think that you would create such a technique." He sounded like he was in sheer awe. "As expected from the soon-to-be greatest Hero in Remnant." He sheathed his sword back. _C'mon you delusional knight – that's bullshit and you know it!_

Move your limbs and escape these idiots…!

 **"** **Hmmm…"** It's no good. The accursed bliss has corrupted and paralyzed my entire body. Why is this happening?!

Why are you still rubbing my ears?!

I let out the best snarl I could muster to show my defiance.

Too bad it ended up becoming weak whines. How pathetic have I become?

"J-J-Just so you know, I'm not doing this because I'm enjoying this or anything!" Summer blurted to me while massaging my ears. "Y-You get it, right? I-I absolutely hate your nefarious guts to the core! I-I'm just doing this to punish you for fighting another hero behind my back. T-That's all!

August cleared his throat, "The people in Mistral – wonderful place by the way – have a word to describe this. _Tsunde-"_

"Another word from you and I'm telling big sis' you fell in love with another woman!"

"Uwha-? No! Anything but that!" For some reason, the atmosphere was consumed in panic and fear.

"Hmph, I thought so." She huffed. "Let's make this clear August: _Mordred is my villain_. They're the antagonist to my protagonist. There can't be a story if the antagonist got beat up by the protagonist's brother figure. That's like, basic heroic storytelling 101. Don't think for a second I've forgiven you for betraying my trust."

"I'll make it up to you!" August instantly replied. "Promise! You have my word. I swear it on the unholy river Styx!"

I'm starting to lose consciousness.

"You better…" Summer's voice became a distant echo.

No…stay awake.

Must…stay…awake…!

I refuse!

I…I am Mordred.

The soon-to-be legendary beowolf in all of Remnant.

I…refuse….

...to be…stopped…

…like this….

I…

I…

 _I actually lost to Summer Rose._

Everything went black.

* * *

 **(Qrow POV)**

"…And that's our report for today." Raven concluded to the old man sitting across the rickety table. He'd have to make fun of her posture later. She was as stiff as a board. Really now. There's a difference between being strong enough to carry your head high and leaning forward to lick someone's boots.

"Hmm…I see. No luck today either? Oh well…" The chieftain took a swig from the bottle. Qrow's nose twitched from the scent. You could smell the alcohol across the interior of the large tent. Droplets of alcohol dripped from the old man's beard as he belched. He wiped it off with his coat's sleeve. Disgusting.

"…You two can continue your search tomorrow morning. Of course, since you failed me again you already know what happens next right?" The chieftain said with a disappointed expression. He held a coin in front of the twins.

Qrow gulped. His stomach twisted into knots. _'This time…this time I'll win for sure!'_

"Call." He tossed the coin upward.

Qrow clenched his teeth with wide eyes resembling a starving dog. He put all his concentration into the rotating coin in the air. It was almost as if time itself came to a halt with how much attention he was putting into the piece of metal.

Focus! Predict the outcome! Luck has nothing to do with this!

"Heads!" Qrow cried.

"Tails." Raven calmly responded.

After what seemed to be an eternity the damn coin finally landed. "Tails." He presented the result. Qrow could already feel his heart sinking. "No food for you tonight, boy."

His hands balled into fists by his sides. What the hell?! Again?! It's already been three days since he ate anything now!

He felt a hand over his shoulder. His eyes glanced over. Her sister was shaking her head with that same fucking stare. _"Don't do it, brother. You won't win,"_ Was the message. He openly responded with glaring daggers.

 _'_ _Well screw you! You're not the one who's starving here!'_

He pushed her hand away and stomped ahead. "This is bullshit and you know it!" Qrow slammed his fist on the table. The wooden planks beneath his feet creaked. "You're _punishing_ me just because I can't find some stupid village?!"

The old man shrugged off Qrow's anger. He took another chug before continuing. "You want to eat? Then you better _*hic*_ motivate yourself to work harder then."

"That's not the point!" Qrow barked back. "We don't even know if Argentum is actually real. It's not even on the map for fuck sakes. And you're making us look for it all because you made a deal with some random bitc _–_ AUUGH SON OF A BITCH!"

He reeled back from the abrupt pain in his right shoulder. His aura was flaring, taking up the brunt of the damage from the fired shot. It didn't penetrate his flesh. It still hurt like hell, though. The chimes of the bullet casing, as well as the flattened bullet falling to the floor, were the only things that could be heard.

Drunken rage accompanied the coming silence.

His arm hung limp, his good hand clutching the site of injury. It's no good. With his stomach's condition, Qrow lacked the energy to respond properly.

Damn it!

"Are you questioning my decisions, boy?" There was a click from the revolver which was aimed at Qrow. "Don't you think it's a bit too early to be challenging my leadershi- _*hiccup! *_ " His drunk body recoiled and he fired a stray shot out of the tent's roof.

Moonlight poured in through the bullet hole. A soft thud was heard from outside. "…Is that a dead bird? Sweet! Get your skewers ready lads the chieftain caught us some white meat!" A tribesman from outside yelled. Cheering quickly followed.

"Raven, what's the tribe's motto again?" He slurred, his composure starting to sway.

"The strong live and weak die." She answered automatically.

"That's _*hic*_ right. So, answer me honestly, boy." Qrow stared into the chamber of the gun. "If an empty stomach is all it takes for you to give in to your weakness then just say so and I'll feed you my bullet."

 _'_ _Cursed child…cursed child…cursed child…cursed child…cursed child…cursed child…'_

"Shut up." He muttered. His hands balled into fists. His fingernails dug into his hands and his knuckles were as white as a ghost.

"What was that? Speak up, boy."

"I said this is nothing. I'll turn in for the night and continue searching for Argentum tomorrow with Raven." He answered.

"That's better…" The chieftain leaned back to chug in some more poison.

"Excuse me, Chieftain Branwen." A feminine voice called out from behind the twins.

The tent curtain opened. The tribe's "business partner" came in. There wasn't much to say about her at first glance. She was covered head to toe in a black hooded robe with a white mask hiding her entire face. The mask had intricated red streaks curving to the centre from the edge along with eight eyeholes, four on each side. Subtle chestnut locks of hair ran down her neck. She was about Raven's height and judging from how young she sounded, she was probably a couple years older than the twins.

Qrow kept it to himself but this girl was definitely in some cult that worships grimm. Had to be with that creepy get-up.

"Oh, it's you. What was your name again…" Their leader slurred.

"It's Ara."

"Ara! I remember now! Sorry, I'm piss _*hic*_ drunk right now. Can't this wait until morning when I'm a little sober?"

"I would just like an update on the search for Argentum. Any progress today?" Ara asked.

"Same as usual." He grumbled, shaking the empty bottle with an annoyed expression. "Just trees, trees, trees, and more trees."

"I see." She bowed to the chieftain, "Thank you for the update. Please try to find it soon if you want the rest of the lien payment. Oh. And I will not be joining you and your tribe for dinner. I promised my sister that I'd let her hunt tonight."

"Sure, sure, go ahead. Oh. And don't forget about the immunity to grimm too." He was busy unscrewing another bottle.

"…Of course. Your tribe hasn't suffered a single grimm attack ever since I joined. You won't have to worry about the grimm ever again once you fulfill our agreement. If that is all then I'll be taking my leave. Have a good night."

The moment she left the tent was the moment Qrow's goosebumps began to settle down.

There was something off with Ara's voice. She always spoke in this slow and soothing manner. Almost as if she was trying to lull you to sleep. Fucking creepy was what that was. It put his survival instincts on edge.

Of course, if he had to choose – he'd prefer _this_ voice over the _other_.

* * *

K.O.T.R: "Knights of the Round"

 **Very long Author notes incoming!**

 ** _Who would win? An apex-predator in need of a psychiatrist or Best Hero in need of a therapist?_**

 **To anyone who doesn't watch RWBY or hasn't caught up with it. I want to make it clear that half the stuff August spouts is his delusions. The stuff about mana, clairvoyance, seals doesn't really exist in the show.**

 **So raise your hands if you thought August's semblance was** ** _just_** **pyromancy. Nah mate, a Shonen hero like him deserves something more busted. I'm leaning for explaining it in story along with Camilla's and July's and then putting the full details in author notes in the same chapter. That also got me thinking. August was mentioned in Chapter 7. That was released in March 2018, and he was properly introduced in October. Like god damn I'm a slow updater. To my old readers, remember when July was introduced in like chapter 2 and it took over 4 months for her fight with Mordred and finally be introduced as Summer's big sis'? And then it took over 5 months after that for Camilla to be developed? I bet the new readers have a much better time reading this now, XD.**

 **So what's your opinion on (Professor) Mordred's deductions/ intelligence? (Keyword:** ** _Intelligence_** **. NOT** ** _sanity_** **) Like I know my SI's goal is to basically achieve Mary Sue status, but as a writer that's something, I want to avoid at all costs. Ironic isn't it?**

 **Good news and bad news.**

 **Bad news: No more updates until January/ February/ March. New readers gasp and begrudgingly accept at this announcement. Old readers shrug, "It can't be helped. Back to the hiatus bar everyone! Don't worry about paying for drinks, we'll leave it on the author's tab!" Sorry in advance, but I need to work on a big lab report for my work term…and Smash Ultimate…and clearing Babylonia.**

 **Good news: Class schedule for Winter term (Jan – Apr) is good. All classes begin at 10, so I can theoretically get 15 hours worth of writing done from Monday – Friday in the morning.**

 **Next chapter will be the start of the Branwen tribe Arc. Ready for some more Summer POV? Hope y'all ready for Bad Luck Qrow!**


	16. Every Good Story Needs a Mob Character!

**Hello again. It's...been awhile. Because of all of you, I've been banned from the bar until I pay off the massive tab you accumulated. Sorry for the break, I thought with my school schedule I could write more.**

 **I was wrong!**

 **I'm taking Creative Writing for one of my elective courses. Apparently, the majority of my dear readers think I'm a "good" writer so I figured, "Why not? I need the credit anyway!"**

 **I now have to write monthly short stories. It's ironic, isn't it? I'm writing every day but I'm not writing Overlord. Those 2500 words worth of time could have been put into this chapter! Ahhh! This chapter should have been out in the middle of January!**

* * *

"...And so, if we apply the variable of X into the formula we can see the that the concentrated fire dust would have an increased probability of…" Rapid tapping of chalk hitting the blackboard filled in the blanks of Professor Peejun's lecture. Small glimmers of sunlight peered through the gaps of the blinds into the classroom. Her classmates were scribbling away frantically on their notes. Summer Rose, however, chose to spend her time staring at the clock on the wall with a bored expression.

 _Tick._

 _Tock._

Urgh, why did time have to go by so slow? There were only 10 minutes left – so why did it feel like 10 hours? Summer was ready to leap out of her desk and sprint out of this classroom as soon as the bell rang. Why, one might ask? Well, it's complicated.

" _Guh…"_ She let out a quiet squeak under her breath, feeling the sudden heat of embarrassment rising in her cheeks. Her shoulders began to tremble. The memory of yesterday gave her a strong urge to her bang head against the desk. What kind of hero pets their archenemy? The soft, fluffy fur? The soothing sensation brushing against her fingertips? U-Unacceptable! There was nothing epic about it! And the worst part was that Summer enjoyed it too! Who was she trying to fool?

 _'_ _AHHHHH! The embarrassment is too much! Too much!'_ She shook her head, dispelling the cursed thoughts. She glanced over to her open notebook; anything to distract herself, really. As expected, they were filled with heroic phrases and drawings. In the lower corner of the page was a rough sketch of a certain beowolf pup. She let out a sigh, flipping the page to reveal her latest work. A crude pencil sketch of an alpha beowolf whose arm was shrouded in darkness charging headfirst against a knight whose sword was wrapped in flames. And in the center of the grand scene, hiding in plain sight, was a lone girl with a white hood.

Her stomach tied itself into knots. She still had conflicting emotions about their duel. Should she be proud that Mordred took her creative ideas to heart? Or jealous that they revealed their transformations to someone else besides her? Not to mention it was big bro' too. August was strong; much, much stronger than Summer. Not only did he outclass her in power, he most definitely outclassed her in style too. The fact that he was one of the militia's captains was proof of that.

So it was no wonder that Mordred would clash with him. They wanted to fight. Just like her, they wanted to prove themselves against the odds. Even if their communication was limited, Summer was certain that they were secretly aiming to become the greatest beowolf in all of Remnant. As expected from her ambitious villain. The hero had clashed enough times against her nefarious rival to piece it together. But even so, the thought still troubled her. Her expression tensed, and she felt a chill run through her spine.

If Mordred wanted to become stronger then…

Would they abandon Summer in search of stronger foes?

What would happen to her? Would her role as the protagonist even have any meaningful impact on the story anymore? Was she going to be discarded? Replaced with someone more suited as the Hero?

Summer would end up becoming the unnecessary side character people would skip over in stories. I-It made sense after all. Summer was the dead last, the stupid girl whose head was stuck in the clouds. It's almost funny. She couldn't even throw a proper punch without even hyperventilating. Had she done _anything_ important ever since she was given the role of the main character? The more she reasoned her inferiority, the more twisting anxiety and panic she felt plunging into her heart like a knife. Her eyes widened. Her chest ached. It became harder to breathe. Her fingers grew numb. The room was freezing.

What if Mordred already left? Should she even bother coming out to the forest today? Should she even bother with joining the militia? They wouldn't want someone as weak as her. They already have July. What good could she do? That's right. Summer wasn't needed.

 _She wasn't needed. She wasn't needed. She wasn't needed. She wasn't –_

"Ow!" She yelped when a quick burst of pain shot up in her forehead, hands shooting up to cover her injury. A piece of chalk bounced on top of her desk. Huh?

"Glad to have you back from the land of daydreams, Summer." Professor Peejun said. There wasn't much enthusiasm in his voice. And yet the authority that it carried was plenty enough to put the class into a hushed standstill. All the students in the class stiffened, Summer included. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"I'm sorry Professor Pigeon – _EEP_!" She narrowly avoided the incoming chalk hurled at her. "P-Professor _Peejun_! I'm very sorry, Professor Peejun! No more projectiles, please!"

The teacher huffed, "Can I just teach one class, just one, without my blood pressure rising? I could give you detention but there won't be any benefit for either of us. So instead, I'll punish you right now. Stand up." He then gestured to the blackboard, "Now solve this equation involving fire dust."

A student in the front row raised their hand, "But Professor, you haven't even taught the theory to the class yet. How do you expect Summer to – _yeouch_!" They were silenced with the dreaded measuring-stick-to-the-forehead technique.

"I'm waiting, _Rose_." He said. How cruel! He just wanted an excuse to hit her again!

"Y-Yes…the answer is…oh." She blinked when she finally read the board.

"Oh? Should I assume you don't know the answer then?" He raised a brow at her answer. The Professor paced around for a moment before going on with his lecture, "Listening and concentration are just as equally important skills to have. You all do well to remember this, else you'll end up like Ro- "

"It will explode." Summer interrupted him.

"…What did you just say?" His eyes were suddenly wide with shock. There was a small rattling sound as the wooden ruler fell to the floor.

"I mean, the fire dust will end up exploding if you input the values into the equation. The dust is too concentrated. The reaction is going to end up going past the oversaturation threshold. And then… _boom_." Summer made a wide hand gesture for extra emphasis. The more she talked the more the old man's jaw became slack.

He looked back at the board and then back to her. He then took off his glasses, wiped them with the edge of his shirt, put them back on and scanned the board once more. "Y-You're correct."

The entire class broke down in awe and wonder. She could feel their eyes on her. She could hear their subtle congratulations and praises.

"No way, she actually got it right?" She overheard a classmate.

"A-Amazing. Even Peejun is surprised."

"What the heck? You're telling me Summer was pretending to be average this whole time?" Another joined in.

Those restless nights of studying paid off. There was a warm feeling welling up in her chest, slowly making its way up to her cheeks. It made the corners of her mouth tug upward slightly. She was panicking over nothing! After all, Summer was the protagonist. The Hero!

This was her achievement, and hers alone. It was her determination that led to this outcome and nobody else –

"…I mean her older sister is Captain of the militia after all. I heard she was labelled a genius when she was studying here…"

It was at that moment that the comforting warmth disappeared. It was replaced with an indescribable chill that numbed her senses, freezing her muscles stiff. Was she shivering? It was hard to tell. She felt her heart sinking down an endless abyss.

"…I bet Captain Rose made her read the entire textbook."

 _Weightless._

"Really? That's insane…"

 _Helpless._

"To do that to your little sister…man, it must be hell living with such a large shadow over you."

 _'_ _Unnecessary. Unnecessary. Unnecessa-'_

"Summer?" It was Professor Peejun's stern voice that put her back into focus. "Your hand is up. Is there something you wanted to say?"

The classroom became silent.

"Huh?" Her hand is…? Summer's heart skipped a beat when her eyes glanced over. He was right. Her hand was raised, mere inches beside her head, _mere inches from reaching_ _her hood with trembling fingers._ But how? She didn't even realize that…

Summer brought her arm behind her head and the other below her neck with flexed hand gestures. _Heroic Pose #46!_ "Ho ho… are you in shock with my sudden display of brilliance, Professor? Indeed! You see, up until now I've placed a mental seal over my mind that restricted my true potential to – _Ow!_ " This time it was a flying eraser that struck her forehead.

"Now listen here I – " The bell finally rang, much to Summer's relief. Professor Peejun groaned, "Alright class, we'll continue where we left off next week. I hope you all have a good day. Oi! Summer, where do you think you're going? I still need to have a word with you."

"R-Right." She said with stiff shoulders and a cold sweat. Summer returned to her desk and waited until all her classmates had left. She forcibly nodded and smiled when some had offered her good luck against Peejun's wrath. Once it was just the two of them, the Professor motioned her to remain in her seat. He poked his head into the halls for a quick second before closing the door, walked towards her desk, pulled out a nearby chair, and sat down.

"Uh…" Summer didn't know what to make out of this situation. This was a first. Usually, she'd be the one standing in front of his desk while he gave her an earful. His usual stern expression was gone, replaced with a gentler, relaxed face. Was he trying to make her lower her guard? To strike when she least expected it?

"You surprised me, Summer." He said.

"Huh?"

"I didn't expect you to answer that question." He confessed. "Especially with that degree of detail. You didn't even need to calculate the variables to reach the conclusion. It's funny. I was supposed to teach the concept of the oversaturation threshold until after the first test. Tell me, has your sister been tutoring you?"

Her shoulders suddenly felt heavy along with a nauseating feeling in the back of her throat. "W-What are talking about? July is way too busy with her job to help me with school. I've just been reading ahead, that's all."

He nodded with a hint of approval glistening from his glasses. "Even better. Dust theory is usually the topic where students struggle the most. It's not unusual for a student to graduate and still only have a grasp on the basics. I've only had the pleasure of teaching a small handful who were able to master it; you might be the latest addition…"

"Oh really? Thank you." She muttered. While he never dropped any names, Summer had a good guess on who a couple of those people might be. But why make her stay after class for this? Something was off with the professor. He remained motionless, and yet he stared at her like she was a puzzle. She made a passing glance at the clock. "So…can I go now?"

"What? So you can run off and play hero with that imaginary beowolf?"

"Ye-"

"Don't answer that." He glared, obviously annoyed with hearing Summer's "story" for the umpteenth time but regained his composure not a second later. "I've noticed you've been putting in a lot of effort into your studies lately. The rest of the professors have noticed as well. As your instructor, I'm proud that one of my students is pushing themselves further. But it's the time that you decided to improve yourself that concerns me."

"Eh?" Summer said.

He clasped his hands together and answered, "I've looked back on all your previous tests. You started improving after your… _spar_ against Abelle." He exhaled calmly, "…I noticed how panicked you were during my lecture today."

That caught Summer by surprise. "W-What are you talking about? Me? The soon-to-be greatest hero in all of Remnant? Panicked?"

Her tactical bluff failed if Professor Peejun's exaggerated sigh couldn't make it any less obvious. "I'm going to be open with you, Summer. It's not just that, right? There's something else that's been bothering you. Your face is practically giving it away, so don't bother trying to hide it behind your delusions of grandeur. If there's something wrong, you can talk to me."

"Well it's…" She made a quick peek at the horizon outside the window. There's no way he'd believe her. At best, she'd get hit with a ruler to the forehead again. At worst, he'd dismiss her dream of becoming a hero. So instead Summer went for the half-truth. "…Complicated."

To her surprise, her professor responded with a chuckle. "You're not the first student who's told me that. I've come across my fair share of issues. Some were as small as a love octahedron or as difficult as learning to cope with the death of a loved one. I… _understand_ that my teaching methods may be a bit harsh but I'm only doing so because I want _you_ to succeed. I want my students to graduate at their very best." He cleared his throat with a heavy cough. "Perhaps I worded my question incorrectly. Let me ask again: why have you been pushing yourself so hard?"

Summer hesitated to answer the man. The tips of her ears felt icy cold along with a stabbing sensation of pins and needles. She yearned for the familiar warmth that her hood provided, but that would only lead to more questions under Peejun's perception. Why was she doing all this? The antagonist was growing stronger with each passing day. And what has the protagonist contributed to the story so far? Getting caught out with grimm only for the antagonist to come in and save the day? _How heroic of her_.

Sure, she's been studying ahead of the class. She was only doing so in hopes of gaining an upper hand against Mordred. But studying from books can only get one so far. That was one underlying issue that Summer couldn't shake off.

Her hands tightened into fists underneath her desk.

"I want to become stronger." She said. Correction – she _needed_ to become stronger.

"I'm going to need a better explanation than that." He raised a brow.

Summer squirmed in her seat, thinking of her next words carefully. "I spent my entire first year as the lowest rank. Half a year has gone by and I'm still ranked last. Every time I lost a spar or failed a physical test I've made excuses for myself. That it wasn't my fault that I didn't do well. But I understand now." She shut her eyes for a moment. Her throat tightened like a water dam, but she forced the words to break through, "I-I-I was wrong. The only reason I'm last is that I'm weak. I didn't put in any effort to learn and improve myself. But it's different now. I want to change, I want to grow and fix my mistakes."

There! She finally said it! To be honest, that felt pretty good –

"Uhhhh…" Professor Peejun's jaw was practically on the desk at this point.

Huh?

Wait, what's with that familiar look? That's the same look Mordred gives her as if to say she was an idiot. How rude! There's no need to be shocked about it!

He must have noticed Summer's annoyed glare and coughed into his fist. "I wasn't expecting that level of self-reflection from you of all people. I'm impressed, Summer. That's quite mature of you to accept your mistakes." He gave her a warm smile, which felt weird considering this man rarely smiled. "From what I heard, you wish to improve your combat skills, correct?"

A spark lit up in Summer's heart. Her eye gleamed with fireworks of inspiration. "Of course!"

"Then you already know what to do next?" He asked.

Summer shot up from her seat and slammed her hands on her desk. "A training arc!"

"You're welcome to join my afterschool cla – wait…what did you just say?" He finally processed Summer's outburst.

She held her hand up high. "Why didn't I think of it sooner? In the stories, all the heroes undergo a brutal training arc before being rewarded with some super cool hidden ability! I see now!" Summer struck a pose, masking her face with an outstretched hand. " _I'll break my limiter and awaken the slumbering dragon sealed within me._ "

"Hey, wait. Are you listening to yourself? You just said something really delusional just now – "

But it was too late. Summer's optimism had consumed her spirit. "Just you watch, Mordred. I'll train even harder than any other hero has trained before. I'll surpass you in strength and then I'll…I'll…I'll suplex you into the ground! Yeah!"

"I really think you should calm down and listen to – "

"Thanks for the talk, Professor Pigeon." Summer interrupted again. "I got to head home and plan out my training routine – oh, are you alright? Your face is glowing red and you're trembling."

"How many times do I have to tell you…" He growled. There was a deathly aura surrounding him. It was at that moment that Summer finally realized her mistake. The room grew cold and tense. She had been so caught up with her dreams that she hadn't realized that was she actually digging her own grave!

"Got-to-go-bye!" She said and bolted out of the classroom.

"IT'S PROFESSOR PEEJUN!"

The chilling sound of her desk being thrown across the room would haunt her for a few nights.

* * *

 **(Qrow POV)**

Qrow felt as if he was walking through water. Everything felt so slow and blurry. With every step in this damn forest, more strength was sapped from his body. His bones were made out of paper and his glass stomach was going to shatter any moment now. His body's condition was expected given that he hadn't eaten anything for four days now.

 _'_ _We should split up, brother. We'll cover more ground that way.'_ He recalled Raven's words from the morning. He spat in disgust. 'Cover more ground' his ass! That bitch was practically telling him that he'd be dead weight!

The afternoon sun gazing down at him pissed him off for some reason. Probably a reminder that he still had a whole day ahead of him before he got to go back to the tribe. The awful thought made him stagger with wobbly legs, forcing the teen to lean against a nearby tree for support.

What's the point anyway? He'll lose the coin toss and starve for another day.

And for what? To find some made-up village of silver-eyed people just because some creepy girl (who he was convinced was part of some grimm cult) told them to? The old man has clearly lost it. Pft. Qrow might as well starve to death. The odds of him encountering somebody with silver eyes was a big fat zero –

"…And it's finished!" A high-pitched voice shouted. That didn't sound like Raven. He pushed his exhausted senses into alert focus. Survival instincts kicked in. His shoulders tensed, and his hand hovered over to the hilt of his sword. The voice was close; damn it, how did he not notice someone was nearby? Did the fatigue have that much of an effect on him?

Qrow inched his face around the tree and saw a glimpse of the source of the voice past the branches and leaves. The short figure's back was facing him. He couldn't figure out if they were a boy or a girl with that white hood over their head. If he had to guess, it was probably some boy whose balls hadn't dropped yet. But what caught his attention was the scabbard by their waist.

He scanned the environment, calculating eyes darting left and right.

 _'_ _Since he's alone in the middle of nowhere I can guess that he has combat experience. The quality of his clothes gives me the impression that he's from a town. Good. I'll interrogate him for information after I take him by surprise.'_ He thought.

He hoped that they had food on them. That would be really, really, helpful for his stomach. If not, he'll take their lien and bribe the tribe's cook for a quick meal. Shit, the mere thought of food was making his mouth water. Let's focus on the task in front of him.

He approached the figure in a slow and quiet manner.

"…My heroic training draft is complete! 100 push-ups! 100 sit-ups! 100 squats! And a 100 kilometre run every single day – "

 _*SNAP*_

A quick jolt shot through his spine. He glanced down and muttered a silent curse. Out of the times he had to step on a stupid twig! How could something so small make such a loud noise?

The hooded boy turned around, holding a small notebook in one hand and a pencil in the other. A sudden gust of wind flew by and pulled their hood down.

"Um…hi? They said.

"You…" Qrow gapped at _him_ …?

 _'…_ _Are a girl.'_

"…have silver eyes." He said in disbelief. What the hell? They're real? People with silver eyes actually exist?

"And you have red eyes?" She replied while putting her notebook back into her pocket.

 _'_ _Focus, Qrow!'_ He shook his head and glared daggers at her with a snarl. He pulled out his sword, albeit it was heavier, and pointed it directly at her. "Drop everything you have onto the ground. The sword too."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't make me repeat myself. Possessions. On the ground. Now." He said.

She blinked a couple times before replying with a curious stare.

"Are you…robbing me?"

…What?

Was this girl an idiot or something?

"Yes!" He said. He inched the tip of his sword closer to her face. Much to his surprise, the girl didn't seem fazed at all. That…usually does the job against people. He'll have to pull out his ace. "Listen here girlie, I'm from the Branwen tribe. That's right – _the_ Branwen tribe. The strongest bandit tribe to ever walk on these lands. The tribe that your parents warn you to run away from if you find out your home is next. I'm from _that_ tribe. So I'm going to repeat myself one last time. Give me all your possessions and you can go back to your family with both your arms attached."

That last part was a lie. Now that he knew that silver eyed people existed, that would mean that Argentum was real too. Once she disarms herself, he'll get the information he needed one way or another.

"Oh." She said. "That…"

Qrow smirked. Good, looks like this bitch was finally beginning to understand the situation she was in –

"…is so cool!" She squealed. She sidestepped the blade without a care in the world. If Qrow was at full strength he would have reacted by cleaving her in two. But in truth, he was busy processing what he just witnessed. And his conclusion:

 _'…_ _what the fuck?'_

Anyone with common sense would react to a robbery with fear, anger; any form of negative emotion. But this crazy girl appeared to be delighted that she was being threatened.

He rubbed his eyes. Was this real? Or just some distorted hallucination from starvation?

"I can't believe it. My first encounter with a mob character – and it's a bandit from some cool tribe too!" She exclaimed.

He lowered his sword out of the sheer ensuing confusion. "What did you just call me? A mob…character?"

"That's right!" The more she talked the more dramatic her hand gestures and tone became. It was a little off-putting. "A great hero can't be satisfied with just fighting the main villain alone. No, that would make the story boring and stale. That's why we need mob characters!"

"We? _"_

"Yup! Every heroic tale needs mob characters. The lowly type of character whose sole purpose is to get beaten up by the hero protagonist to show how cool and strong they are!" She spun around once more and…made a weird pose? Was this some sort diversion to lower his guard? "Ahhh, for my first mob encounter to be a bandit – truly, this is a sign of how far I've progressed as the protagonist."

"Oi, who the hell are you calling a 'lowly type of character'?" Qrow said. "And what's this about you beating me up? You're ridiculing me, aren't you? You think I'm not going to fight back just because you're a girl? Go ahead and try it, girlie. I'll drop kick you before you even have a chance to land a blow on me!"

"Hoho. That's exactly what a mob character would say." She chuckled. That made his blood pressure skyrocket for some reason. Damn it! This girl's words were crawling their way through his skin. "Alright! My training arc officially starts now!"

"What the hell are you talking about now –" His heart skipped a beat when she shifted into a combat stance in a blink of an eye.

 _'_ _S-So fast?!'_

It was at that moment Qrow knew he fucked up. He had the advantage against her. But he let his target distract him and she used that chance to arm herself. Damn it, this girl was dangerous! She's clearly had experience with manipulating her opponent's emotions. Now that he knew who he was up against, he couldn't let his mental guard down any further.

He readied his weapon. Her stance was similar to Raven's. The differences were very obvious. Her elbows were flared, her neck was overexposed, and she was putting too much weight on one of her legs. In other words, this girl was full of openings.

Well, they would be considered _openings_ if Qrow was a fool. He saw through her deception. Those were all calculated feints. This girl was planning on him to strike first, fall into her trap, and suffer a vicious counter. To use psychological warfare so effectively...

This girl was a monster.

The air around them became chillingly tense.

She spoke in a low, serious tone, "As a reward for being the first mob character to challenge me, I shall use my secret sword technique. I hope you're ready, bandit of the Branwen tribe. Not many get to witness _Heaven-Moon-Slicer-Slicing-Slashy-Slash._ "

A thick cloud blocked out the sun, casting heavy shade over him. For a brief second, he felt as if he was standing behind a fire. He stiffened. _'Is she going to use her semblance? What if she's already used it on me? God damn it! I'm at a massive disadvantage!'_

"Here I g – _ahh_!" She let out a startled squeak all of a sudden and froze on the spot. She then let out an awkward cough, regained her composure, and dropped her combat stance. What the hell was she planning now?

"Listen I know we have this hero-villain dynamic going on right now. But could you please wait in the sidelines while I fight against the mob-character?" She said.

This girl wasn't making any sense at all.

"What the hell are you talking abou-"

 **"** **Grrrrrr…."**

His heart stopped for a good second. His brain was screaming at his legs to run away but they refused to listen. His muscles shut down. The grip around his sword weakened. A surge of fear was strangling his throat. Qrow had finally realized that the shade wasn't a cloud's shadow.

With wide unblinking eyes, he turned around slowly.

And stared up into the murderous eyes of an alpha beowolf.

 _'_ _What…the…fuck.'_

* * *

 **(Summer POV)**

"T-That's not fair…" Summer said. "That's not fair! The scene was set up perfectly. This was supposed to be my big moment. The turning point for my character development! And I was going to end it with my finishing move – but then _you_ show up in a puff of fire and you just…you just…you just stood there! Menacingly!" She made a show of throwing her hands into the air before stomping over to Mordred with a glare on her face. "And apparently that was enough for this bandit to pass out from shock!"

Summer grabbed the unconscious boy by the collar and slapped his face with all her might. "Hey! Wake up! Hey! I'm not finished delivering justice yet. We still need to settle our epic duel. C'mon! ~ _Waaaake uuuuuuuup!~_ "

Repeatedly slapping him didn't seem to work.

"W-Wha…! Hey! Mordred put me down! Put me down right now!" She flailed her weightless body around as Mordred held her up by her hood. Really, aside from being the hero, what did she do to deserve this?

 **"** **Grrrr…"**

The frustration within her vanished. Embarrassment and shame took its place. "O-Oh. I see you're still mad about the whole me-rubbing-you-ears thing, huh?"

Mordred slowly nodded with a hint of fury behind their eyes. They pointed at a random bush.

"So what if I left you in a bush? I couldn't just let your sleeping form lie out in the opening. That would be bad manners on my part." She said.

 **"** **Grrrr…"**

"Fine! I'm sorry for rubbing your fluffy ears, okay? There! Are you satisfied now?" She crossed her arms and looked away with a pout. What she would give to rub Mordred's fur again…ah – no! Bad thoughts! Very bad thoughts! She shoved these corrupt feelings into the deepest part of her mind. "…Now put me down. Please."

Mordred complied.

"Ouch! When I said, 'put me down' I meant in a gentle way!" Summer cried out while rubbing out the pain from her sides. Mordred, the villainous (and extremely rude) beowolf they were, completely ignored the hero's complaints. They leaned over the unconscious bandit's face with a curious look in their eyes that said, _'You look familiar. Have we met before?'_

Mordred tilted their head and started to…sniff him?

...Hah?

"Mordred, you're not planning on um… _eating_ him, r-right?" She muttered. The bizarre notion was enough for her to stand up as if she was never dropped in the first place. While she was quick to defend Mordred from August's accusation of them trying to eat her, it did bring up a lingering question in the back of her mind. Aside from Summer, would Mordred eat other humans if given the chance?

Mordred responded with exaggerated gagging and retching noises. She bit the back of her tongue. Summer fought back the urge to break into a fit of laughter at their performance. She had an image as the heroic protagonist to upkeep after all.

With a single claw, Mordred pointed to the boy, then his sword, and finally at her. **"Grrrrr…"**

Summer interpreted their message perfectly. "What are you talking about? Me? _The protagonist_ losing to a _lowly character_ like him? I find that insulting. Please have more faith in me as your eternal enemy."

Mordred stared at her in wild disbelief; wide eyes and a gaping maw. They repeated the motion, but this time with extra emphasis added. Her eye twitched but she held on to her patience as any hero should.

She spoke in a calm manner…or at least the calmest she could make her voice sound, "I…really don't appreciate how little you think of me. I understand it's perfectly normal for the big bad villain to underestimate the hero. But don't you think you're taking it a _bit_ _too far?_ Mordred, I may be ranked last in my class back at the village but that doesn't mean I don't have any combat training at all. What's a scrawny looking guy like him going to do to me?"

She'll admit it. In terms of actual grimm-slaying, Summer had no experience what so ever. But she at least knew a thing or two when it came to fighting against human opponents. Really now, sometimes the villain can be downright cruel.

Mordred snarled in frustration. With both arms and overexaggerated movements they repeated their message:

 _'_ _BANDIT.'_

 _'_ _SWORD.'_

 _'_ _YOUUUUUUUUUUUU.'_

"Ohhh…so that's you meant. I understand now." She said.

The dam of patience crumbled, and a torrent of frustration rushed through.

"I understand perfectly now! It's his sword, isn't it?!"

 **"...Argh?"**

"You want me to get a bigger sword, is that it? What's wrong with my holy sword? Is it not enough for you?!" She yelled.

 **"** **AAAAAARRRRRGHHHHHH"** They threw their arms up and roared into the sky, obviously frustrated with Summer's defiance. If that was supposed to scare her, it didn't do a good job. In fact, it did the complete opposite.

"I thought we were past this after your little skirmish with August. Apparently not! You want me to use an oversized sword that badly? Well too bad for you! I'm not going to change just because the antagonist said so! Especially over something so delusional!" Her entire body felt heated from all the yelling. Her face was probably as red as a tomato at this point, but Summer didn't care in the slightest.

Their claws covered their face; they were practically digging into the bone plating. Their body trembled. Summer could make out their muttering snarls and twitches.

 **"** **RRRAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHH!"** Mordred smashed their head into the closest tree.

 _*CRACK*_

"…Hey, that tree just made a really unpleasant sound."

 _*CRACK*_

The cracking grew louder. The noise was accompanied by the tearing of old bark and splinters. The towering tree started to angle itself towards them.

Her eyes grew wide. Her legs froze up at the worst possible moment. "T-The tree…the tree is…"

 _'_ _Ahh…how unlucky-'_

It all happened in a flash. She felt something latch onto her arm. Then she felt weightless, her body flung to the side. The moment of flying lasted only for a second before she was sent rolling through the ground, spitting out dirt and grass as her momentum came to a halt. The unconscious bandit met a similar fate. He was tossed a distance away from her. And then –

The tree crashed unto the ground.

The crash erupted through her ears as the tremors shot through her body. It felt as if her heart was going to burst. She shielded her face from the ensuing debris kicked up from the impact. Though, she couldn't feel a thing with the burst of adrenaline pumping through her system.

The chaos died down quickly afterwards. She lowered her arms…

"Mordred!" She exclaimed. Her legs started to move on their own.

The tree had crushed the beowolf, leaving nothing but their head and one arm exposed.

 **"** **Grrrr…"** They openly snarled at the situation they were in. Other than being stuck and annoyed, they were perfectly fine. A wave of silent relief washed over Summer. Heh. As if some tree could best them. As expected from the protagonist's counterpart.

With that much noise, Summer was certain that it would attract a few grimm over. There was an unconscious bandit and an incapacitated villain. The odds of survival didn't look too good. Now was the time for the Hero to act.

"Hold on! I'm going to get you out of there! _Hnnnng…!_ " She put all her strength into her arms. " _Hnnnggh…!"_

 **"** **Grr-"**

"This would be a lot easier if you helped too!" She said through clenched teeth. Her arms were going to tear. They really were going to tear apart from her body! " _Hnnng –_ Wah…!"

Her arms gave up and the upwards momentum sent her falling on her butt. "Ow!"

Mordred chuckled at her. Or at least that's what she assumed was a chuckle. She didn't exactly know anyone else whose laughter resembled somebody choking.

"Hey, you know what? I just got an idea. Couldn't you just free yourself by transforming back into a pup? You should have enough space to move out." She said.

Their laughter abruptly stopped.

She felt something well up inside her. She dusted herself off and cast her shadow over Mordred's fallen form. "Hey. What's with that familiar look? That's the same look you had on your face when I made a suggestion to your transformation ability. Are you looking down on me? Do you really think I'm an idiot?"

Embarrassed, they looked away in a random direction. You know what…?

Summer crossed her arms and planted her foot over Mordred's armoured snout. She could feel the air of superiority surrounding her. And to be honest, it felt pretty good. "Would it kill you to say 'thank you'? Hmm? Is it that hard for a villain of your calibre? I'll have you know that's not being evil, that's just downright rude. Go on! Here's your chance. Thank me for helping you get stronger! Sing my praises about my heroic brilliance! Hey, are you listening? Quit your growling and learn some humility!"

"What the hell?" An unfamiliar voice spoke from behind. Summer turned around. Across from her was a girl around her age with long black hair and similar eyes to the bandit boy. Her shirt and skirt were slightly tattered and covered in patches of dirt. A distinctive sheathed sword rested by her waist.

The girl with fierce red eyes scanned the scene before her. She gasped when she saw the boy. "Brother?"

Did she just call that bandit her brother? Ah, that would mean that she was also from the Branwen tribe.

She turned to Summer.

Then back to him.

Then to Summer.

And then back to him.

And before Summer could even blink, the girl from the Branwen tribe was by her brother's side with her hand clutching the hilt of her blade. Her eyes had become cold and sharp. She spoke in a harsh voice, "You…who the hell are you? What did you do to Qrow?"

 _'_ _As much as I would like to claim responsibility, I'm afraid I can't do that. It was all Mordred...'_ She glanced down at the guilty party only to notice the blank, disconnected expression in their eyes. It was as if they just realized something grand and unbelievable. She internally screamed, _'Now is NOT the time to realize how much of a jerk you are! Hurry up and get out of there! She's going to stab you right through the eye if you stay there! Ahh, it's no good. Mordred's lost in their own world! C-Calm down, Summer. You just need to buy time!'_

Summer spun around, leaned against the fallen tree, and struck a cool pose.

"Y-Yo."

 _'_ _Stupid! This was your big chance and that's the best thing you could say?!'_

* * *

 **Poor Raven. Imagine walking into a scene with your twin brother out cold and there's a girl with her boot over a beowolf whose body is trapped under a tree. That's just setting itself up for a misunderstanding. No?**


	17. Bad News

**Hi there everyone.**

 **So? It's been a while. A long while. And judging from the size of this paragraph spacing, this is the part where I - the author - am supposed to tell you that I'm quitting and blah blah blah.**

 **Relax. I'm not going to quit. Let's get that out of the way.**

 **But I do have bad news, however.**

 **It's...not that I'm taking a break.** ** _Sigh._**

 ** _4893 words._** **That's how far I was for chapter 17. 2000? 3000 more words before I publish it? You see where I'm going here?**

 **Something happened to my laptop and I really don't want to go into detail. But long story short, my word document is gone.**

 **(Backup your work either online or via USB kids.)**

 **I don't want to quit. I said that already. But it's just so frustrating! You don't have to remind me that I need to update, it's been 4 months already, I get it. So I'm going to have to retype it, to the best of my memory. Though, it's probably going to be shorter. I'm writing all this since I feel like being in the dark for another month or two would really give off the impression that I really have quit.**

 **I'm sorry for ruining your expectations, you must have been excited seeing the notification of this fic's update. I hope that you all can be patient with me for just a little while longer until I get back on my feet. (Seriously, I fucking depressed that I lost my other shit along with chapter 17.)**


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